The test
by Themasterchef
Summary: This is a story that takes place well after season three. Rumple's daughter accidentally brings Milah back to life. This tests Emma and Killian's marriage as well as everyone else in town. Can Killian remain faithful to Emma and his family or will he fall into an old pattern with Milah?
1. Chapter 1

_Why is Belle always hiding my green tie?_ I think to myself as I look through the closet my wife, Belle, and I share for my favorite green and blue stripped tie. It is a beautiful article of clothing and yet she believes it to be hideous. Great looking girl, but lacks in fashion sense. Years ago, I would have never thought that I would be spending my life, _my mortal life,_ in a place called Storybrooke Maine, with a terribly brave and beautiful woman, who not only knew of my past but accepted me despite of it. I also would never had believed that I would have daughter who shines just as brightly as her mother, but also has a spark of magic in her like her father. Bae, or Neal I suppose, my son adores his little sister and finds it hilarious that she and his children are playmates. A fact I would never believe and still try to come to grips with, is that my son would marry and have children with the Evil Queen, whose mother I was romantically involved with. My family has become rather twisted.

Thinking about it sometimes gives me a headache and the fact that I can't find my tie only adds to my frustration. Giving up on looking in the closet, I head downstairs to look in the laundry room for the garment, and to stop in the kitchen to get an advil. I have no such luck in the laundry room, the only thing I find of any interest is pair of mudstained shirts, one a man's size the other belonging to a small child, with pirate skulls on them. _Ugh._ They must have been from the time Killian and his son, Davey, came over to play with my Rosie, and they all decided to play in the mud to look for buried treasure. My wife decided it would only be polite to offer them our clothes while she cleaned theirs. Thinking about that moronic pirate being at my house made my headache advance to a migraine. I really needed that advil now.

Accepting that pirate into my life has been one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. Even limiting my magic to save my relationship with Belle was not that hard. Travelling to Neverland to save my grandson Henry helped me come to terms with the fact that he was not a completely horrendous person. I saw him take charge of a dangerous situation and put everyone's needs above his own. He was brave and self sacrificing when it came to rescuing Henry, and he got us all home in one piece. I still don't like the man and I'm glad I cut off his hand. He stole my first wife, the punishment for stealing is taking one's hand. And I didn't like him any more when he became involved with my son's baby's mother. Emma and Hook's relationship was fast, passionate and completely out of nowhere( at least that's what I thought). Things became complicated when Bae returned to us from the enchanted forest, but Emma and Bae realized they were different people from the people they were when they first fell for eachother, and it was clear the Hook and Emma were true loves. If Bae hadn't have found love with Regina, I may have been inclined to intervene, but no good ever comes from my meddling. Things worked themselves out, Bae married Regina and has two sons, Emma and Hook, Killian, married as well, and had a set of boy and girl twins and another little girl. I ended up giving his hand back as a wedding gift. Yes, everything has ended up quite nice. Except for the fact that i have to see that idiot pirate everyday of my life. Nothing feels better than that painkiller making its way down my throat. As I clean my cup in the sink, I hear a crash coming from the basement. " Belle?" I call. No, she is at the library still, so it must be " Rosie?". Again I hear a crash and a scream, and I rush down the steps to my six year old daughter. When I reach the bottom of the steps I take in the scene around me. My daughter is on the floor with a ring in her hand, red liquid on her hand, and purple smoke surrounding her. " Rosie!" I scream and run toward her. " What happened? Are you ok?" I quickly search her and am relieved to find that the red liquid on her hands is not blood. " What is this?" My daughter just sits there and shakes. " Rosie, answer me! What have you done?"

" I brought something back" she whispered. I looked at her confused.

" what do you mean sweetie?"

" You said there was a match to this ring. I wanted to find it because you said it was red, and red is my favorite color. This ring is blue and I wanted red. I made a spell to bring back things that were once lost." She looks at me with such hope that I would understand. Secretly I am proud that my daughter wants to practice magic, and takes the initiative to create her own spells. She does have a tendency though to make spells that more powerful than intended, or things go wrong completely. i take the ring and look at it more closely. It was Milah's ring, the one she gave to me for marriage. I knew where the red one was, but I have not explained to my daughter the manner of her Uncle Killian's and my relationship.

" Well, Rose, the other ring is not lost, it is in the hands of someone else. I suppose that is the reason the spell did not work," I explain, sorry to tell her the spell was a dud.

"No, it worked papa," she tells me and points toward the corner of the room. I look over and am surprised and horrified to realize we are not alone in the room. Shuddering on the floor, is a nude and confused woman. A woman I would know anywhere.

"Rose, what have you done?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi, so i'm new at this and didn't add an author's note in the beginning. Anyway this is my first fanfiction, and I hope you all enjoy it.**

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" So what did you think of it?" Emma asks my eldest daughter, Cecily. With her curly black hair, blue eyes, and sweeter than sweet face, Cecily looks like the girl version of me, five year old me of course. Especially now as she looks at my wife with a bored slash sarcastic expression etched on her face.

"Well", she says in her high voice that is too mature for a five year old, "To be honest, it was complete rubbish."

"HA!" I completely loose it and shake with laughter. That's my girl! " Are you saying that was not an accurate portrayal of your daddy?"

" Please, that Captain wasn't anything like you! He was mean, stupid, and ugly. Nothing like you daddy," she says looking pleased with her critique.

" That is exactly what I told your mother when I first saw this tragedy," I glance over to the mentioned person. Emma is the most beautiful woman I have ever met. She is gorgeous, smart, brave, fierce, and not surprisingly, kinky. I sometimes can't believe she is mine, Mrs. Killian Jones. I knew she was something else when I first met her, but I never imagined I would feel this strongly about another person in my life, or that she would return my feelings. Sure, it was not an easy road, our journey to love, we are both stubborn people and true love often has obstacles ( cough, Neal, cough, overprotective father, cough), but it was worth it. At first I was just happy to be near her, but eventually feelings came out in the open, and to be honest saving a woman's son does not hurt your chances. I used to think stealing the _Jolly Roger_ would always be the happiest day of my life, but that all changed when Emma and I tied the knot, and again changed at the birth of my three children. Cecily is technically the oldest, though Davey was only three minutes behind her. I almost had a heart attack when Cecily was born and the doctors said there was one more. It's one thing to be prepared for one child, but another thing to get two at once. I suppose it makes sense since Emma's father is a twin. Both children are exactly like me and Emma, which scares us both, and has caused us to put bail money to the side because we have a feeling we are going to need it as soon as those kids turn sixteen. Cecily stole her first thing when she was two, diamond earrings from Regina, my daughter has good taste. Davey acts as her first mate, looking out for adults, making sure the coast is clear, and doing the heavy lifting. Henry looks at this and laughs, saying karma has found his mum and I. They both love my ship, and I have high hopes they will take to sailing. It could provide them a creative outlet. My second daughter, Renee, is another story entirely. She is a blonde little princess of three, and is a complete law enforcer like her grandpa, a fact he is proud of. She is constantly thwarting Cecily and Davey's plans and making lectures to Henry to not drink, smoke, or fall into peer-pressure. If she didn't have such a love for adventure I would question if Emma was faithful to me. She runs around all over town looking to help people and save kittens. When she isn't doing that, she is in Regina's stables brushing the horses, she loves horses. Everyone adores her, especially Neal and Regina's sons who treat her like a little sister. I couldn't be happier with my life and the woman who made it possible. The woman who is looking at me now like I am crazy. Oh no, I have ranted too long in my head. "Did you say something?" I ask.

"Yes," Emma says with a shake of her head, " I asked if you wanted to take the movie out, I heard Henry come back with Davey and Renee, so I'm going to get dinner ready."

"Sure, that sounds good, I think me and the lass can handle it, can't we?" I reach over and start to tickle my little girl. Emma smiles, and heads down stairs with the bowl of popcorn. "So while I take out the movie, why don't you fix up the bed, ok."

"Aye Aye Captain Daddy!" I love it when she calls me that. After ten minutes of us deciding if the bed was acceptably fixed, we made our way down the stairs of our two story Victorian house to the kitchen. The rest of the children were at the kitchen table looking over the contents of the bags they had purchased from the craft store.

"Did you guys find everything you needed for the project?" I asked while coming from behind Emma to hug her while she was taking the pasta out of the box.

"Must you two always be in love?" Henry asked from the table with a frown on his face as he looked over his list. "It's sickening to us with the broken hearts."

"Oh don't be so dramatic," I tell him. "You went on one date with Amanda, and you only did it to make Grace jealous, so don't give me the broken heart sob story." Emma's neck is so cute, I think I will nuzzle it.

"Ugh, anyway, yeah we got all the stuff, I'm a junior, why must I be bothered with silly art projects?"

"What's a junior?" Renee asks while looking at the glitter. If she opens that we are going to have one hell of a mess.

"A junior is a person who steals junior mints from the store and the cops chase him into hiding, so they have to use code names to keep them safe." Cecily says with certainty, while Davey nods his head in absolute agreement.

"Sweety, if you stole junior mints don't you think it would be obvious if you had the code name junior?" Emma points out while she gets the water boiling. While an argument between the kids starts to heat up the doorbell rings.

"Ah saved by the bell," Henry sighs as he slides out of his chair to get the door, "cliché, I know, but it's a classic for a reason."

I wonder which one of our crazy extended family members it could be while I try to stop the almost certain glitter war that is about to take place on our kitchen counter.

"Dad! It's for you," Henry cries out.

"You handle this?" I sigh as a peck Emma on the lips and head toward the door. She nods and takes my place at the table as I enter the living room. I reach the door in five more steps and look up to see who is at the door. I am met with huge brown eyes, a mess of dark locks, and a horribly pale face of what can only be a ghost. As she opens her mouth to speak I slam the door on my past.


	3. Chapter 3

**This chapter is longer, but I was bored and couldn't stop. If you haven't noticied already this story will be told from multiple points of views. This chapter will be Milah's! Enjoy**

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My_ chest is on fire. Killian, help me. How can I be on fire and still be so cold? _I have no heart, I saw it taken from me, and yet I can feel it beating wildly in my chest. I feel so cold, like I'm lying on a stone floor, but that can't be right. I'm on the wooden deck of the _Jolly Roger_, aren't I? No. I know the feel of that ship, the smell of the wood and the sea, and there is none of that here. _What is happening?_ I have to open my eyes and take in my surroundings. I will, it's just that I feel so sick I don't know if I can. Something is wrong with me. _Is this the after life?_ Could I be in this cold place, away from everyone I love because of the wrongs I made in life? I don't feel dead, I just feel sick, like the first morning after I had consumed a vast amount of alcohol.

"Milah?" I hear a voice ask timidly. My eyes snap open. I know that voice. Of course, if this is Hell he would be here. I was right, I was on some sort of bluish stone floor. There are shelves lining the walls, filled with odd things, some magical looking, some mundane. There are clothes littering the floor and it is dim. I am not alone in this room. He is here, and next to him is a little tear stained girl that reminds me of my son Bae. He reaches toward me, possibly to help me off the floor, or to strangle me, I'm not sure. I slap his hand away and scream. He brought me to this place of darkness, he took away my happiness, he is a monster.

I lunge at him, and try to claw his face. It's different now. It's not green and scaly like the last time I saw it, but it is just as repulsive to me. It represents all the mistakes I made in life and I hate it. I will destroy him and be free of this place. The girl is screaming and hitting me, but I pay her no mind. I have found my strength as my hatred surfaces. He is trying to fight me off, but it is like I am possessed, and I know he is going to lose. I feel a smile form on my face as this realization dawns on me, but it is short lived as a bright light appears and I feel something pull at my hair tugging me off of my kill. As I am released, I turn around to find a slim brunette woman standing behind me, rushing to pick up the crying girl and move to position herself between me and Rumplestiltskin.

"Who are you?!" she screams at me.

"Please Belle, it's not her fault." The monster says as he uses magic to heal the cuts I inflicted on his face. Old face, but he still has magical abilities. Why didn't he use them when I was attacking him then?

"I don't understand Rumple, why was a naked woman attacking you while our daughter was in the room? Who is she?"

"This is Milah," he says before she can become anymore hysterical. I watch all of this slumped, and devoid of emotion. Now that I am not focused on killing my ex-husband, I feel drained of all my strength, as if my need to kill him was the only thing keeping me going.

"That's not possible, she died," this _Belle_, says with wide eyes pointed at me.

"Rosie, accidentally brought her back with a new spell she was trying," he explains. This picks my interest. So he kills me for leaving our son, and it is his daughter who brought me back. I have never been a fan of irony, but this is delicious. _I died._ It hits me slowly what the woman has said. I suppose I knew it to be true, that I had really died, but death, especially one's own, is a hard concept to grasp. I was dead, but now I'm not?

"Is this Hell," I ask, bringing their attention away from what I assume is _their_ daughter to me. My voice is weak and they stare at me in shock, so I ask again, "Am I in Hell?"

"You are in Maine," the little girl says from behind her mother's back. She has tracks on her cheeks, but she looks at me with a steadiness that she must have inherited from her mother and not her cowardly father.

"Rosie," Rumplestiltskin, takes the girl by her shoulders, "please go to your room, and let your mother and I handle this." She nods and he kisses her forehead before she makes her way up the steps. I feel more disoriented than ever. Ten minutes ago, the man was a nightmare come to life and ripped my heart out, now he is a loving father? I am beginning to think this Maine is an alternate universe.

Once the girl is gone, the woman turns to Rumplestiltskin and asks, "Is she dangerous?"

"No, she is just confused, and I am sure I am the last person she wants to see, but she is not a cruel person."

"Do not talk about me as if I am not present," I sneer. I can feel my hate building again at the sound of his voice. How would he know who I am? He never really knew me, not like… "Killian. Where is he? Did you kill him too?" I scream. "Is he here as well?"

"Milah," the woman named Belle says gently, "Killian is ok. I'm sorry we were talking about you like that, it's just that this is all very…odd. Why don't we get some clothes on you and something warm in your belly before we talk?" This woman looks sweet. Why on all that is sacred would she marry a monster?

I want to demand more answers, but now that she has pointed it out, I am feeling rather uncomfortable and cold wearing nothing at all, and some tea might settle my turning stomach. So I nod, and take her hand when she reaches for me. I should remember that she is married to Rumplestiltskin, so she could very well be a horrible person, but she seems to give off an air of _goodness, _that makes me trust her. "Rumple, clean this mess up, check on Rosie, and come up with a damn good apology to give to Milah when we are done." She states firmly. He looks meekly away, and this makes me wonder what I have missed in my absence, and just how long that absence might have been.

We climb up two flights of steps of a lovely house, that makes me feel foolish for believing I was in Hell, to a master bedroom. The room was obviously decorated by a woman, with soft yellow walls with flowers, fine wood dressers, and a mattress the color of gold. The woman opens a closet door and pops her head in.

"Hmm, we seem to be similar in size, though you do look a tad bit taller. I wish I had a wider variety of pants to choose from, but I am partial to sun dresses. I fear my taste of clothing has rubbed off on Rosie, my daughter," she says as she hand me peculiar under garments. Not in a position to turn anything down, I slip them on. "She loves to act like a little lady, most of the time," she continues to say as she reenters the closet. " Ah, I found a pair of pants that will fit. Their boot cut, so they're a little bit longer, and you can wear this red sweater with it," she hands me more articles of clothing. They are odd, but not hard to figure out how to put on, so once again I just go with the flow and put them on. "Now, doesn't that feel better?" she asks looking a little winded.

The clothes look odd on me, but they fit well enough. "Thank you," I say. I look around, and see an amazingly realistic portrait of this woman and Rumplestiltskin on a dresser. "You are his wife?" I ask, still looking at the portrait.

"Oh, yes. Rumple and I got married seven years ago, and had our daughter shortly after," she looks uncomfortable. I want to tell her how dangerous of a man he is, but she has been married to him for seven years, and though my presence came as a shock to her she did not seem surprised that it was possible, so she must know what he is capable of. A foolish girl. "To be honest," she looks up at me, "I'm glad you are here. The story of you and Rumple never sat well with me, and now you two have a chance to heal and move on. And I know Bae will be happy to have his mother back in his life."

"Bae is here?" I ask completely in awe. I had given up hope that I would see my son again. At least seven years have gone by, he must be a young man by now. "I want to see my son," I tell her.

"I'm sure you do, but it might come as a bit of a shock if you show up on his door step. I think it would be best if Rumple gave him some sort of a warning."

"Is he close, does he live in this Maine?"

"Yes, he lives here with his wife and two sons," she looks at me like I would be happy by this news.

"Two sons? How old?" I ask. Things are not making sense to me.

"Four and three. They are adorable little boys, I'm sure they will be happy to have a grandma. Why don't we go down to the kitchen to get you something to eat?"

"How old is my son?" I hate to think my son got trapped in a marriage so young because of a pregnancy.

At this question she looks awkward.

"I believe he is 38."

38! I was gone for 24 years?

"I have to go," I say feeling trapped all of a sudden. I had missed 24 years of my son's life. If Killian is alive, he must be in his fifties. It doesn't matter, I would love him anyways. I need to get out of this house now.

"I don't think that is a good idea," she tells me as she comes closer. Closer to hold me back. "You have had quite a shock, I think it would be best for you to rest."

Right as she is about to take my arm, I dash around her and run down the steps. I saw a door on my way up and I head for it now. Soon I am outside, and I don't stop running. I can't take this anymore. I was dead, dead for years, and now I am in a new land. I had to get out of that house. I need to go…where? The past is the only place I know, and I can never go back there, so where do I go from here? As I slow down, I smell the sea on the air, and I know that is a safe place to go. No one is following me and there is no one around. It is dusk. I make my way down to the water, when I finally spot a person. As I turn to avoid them I notice that they are familiar looking.

"Ben?" I ask. The man looks up at me with fear in his eyes.

"Milah?" he stares. I throw myself at him and cry with relief. It's Ben, the cook from the_ Jolly Roger._ I can't believe how good it feels to find someone I know. "What are you doing here Ma'am? No offense but you're dead!" he looks like he's seen a ghost. I guess he has.

"Like that could ever really stop me," I smile at him.

"It's not you," he shakes his head, " It's a trick."

"Ben, the first night you were on board, you came to me and said you were afraid you had accidentally served the Captain the raw meat instead of the cooked meat. I told you we would find out what was what by whether he got sick or not. Since he did not get sick we took it as a good sign and you never walked the plank. I never told anyone that story before, even though it was funny because you were crying in fear the whole night." I say with a satisfied smirk.

"Jesus, it is you. How?" he asks with wide eyes.

"My ex-husband, how else," I snort. I realize that Ben is wearing the odd clothes of this land, which suggests he may have been here for a while and may have some answers to my questions. " Ben, do you know where the Captain is staying?" At this he looks at the ground.

"You're not wearing any shoes," he says lamely.

"Oh… he doesn't live around here does he? Or he's at sea, is that it?" I say disappointed. He could not have known I would come back.

"No, he lives around here ma'am, I'm just not sure I should tell you."

"Why, not," I feel both hope and dread rising, "where is he?"

"Things have changed since you've been gone, you might not like what you find out."

"Ben, let me be the judge of that. Just tell me where I can find him." After five more minutes of coaxing and threatening, I finally get directions to a house. It's a green house, decent size, beautiful lawn. It must be an inn. I can't imagine why Killian would own it. He never settles down in one place. I know my presence will scare him at first, but he will be happy to see me. I can just imagine how hard this will be. I can't imagine what it would be like to lose him for twenty years and then have him show up out of nowhere. But we are soul mates and we will start our lives together again. I walk up the steps to the door. I wish I had shoes on. I am so scared, I don't know why. The love of my life is right behind that door, all I have to do is knock. So I do. I hear shuffling on the other side of the door. Finally a young man answers, must be another tenant. For the second time this day I am reminded of Bae. I will have to find him after I am done reuniting with Killian.

"Hi," he says, "can I help you?"

"Yes, I am looking for Killian Jones. Is he lodging here?"

"Um…yeah. Hold on a sec. Dad it's for you!"

DAD. What? No this can't be. There has been a mistake. He would never. I feel cold again. I wish I had shoes. Stop, stop STOP. I see him now, he is looking down. He looks only a few years older, definitely not twenty four years older. Not older enough to have a young man for a son. He is thinking about something I can tell. I want to go back to how things used to be. He looks up and sees me at last. His face goes instantly white. I can make this better, I will make this better. He will understand what has happened and we will go back to how things used to be. I open my mouth to tell him I love him, reassure him that everything is going to be alright, and the door slams in my face.


	4. Chapter 4

**Again, i hope you all enjoy this chapter told from emma's pov. a milah confrontation will take place soon i promise.**

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"Dad, it's for you!" I hear Henry yell, as I finally put the pasta in the boiling water.

"You handle this?" Killian asks me with his cute puppy dog face. I can almost never say no to that face. That is kind of the reason I have three children with this man. I nod, looking over at the soon to be disaster zone he is referring to, and he gives me a sweet kiss on the cheek. In all my life I never would have guessed that I would meet Captain Hook, or that he would turn out to be such a caring person for that matter. Of course that was not my first impression of the man. In the beginning, I saw him as a liar, a pig, a man who only cared about himself, and yes I was a little bit attracted to him. But I had been down the bad boy road before, and there was no way I was making that mistake again. It wasn't until time went on that I saw his pain, his vulnerability, and his good heart. He was so relentless in finding Henry in Neverland, and he put everyone's safety, well maybe not Rumplestiltskin's, above his own. That is an attractive quality in a man, and I had to come to grips with the fact that perhaps my first impression of him was wrong. As we spent more time together, both in Neverland and at home, and we opened up to each other, I had no option but to fall in love with him. He was still a liar, and a pig, but he was considerate, funny, dashing, loving, and a good friend to Henry. When he asked me to marry him there was no way I could say no. Neal, turning up from the Enchanted Forest alive and well was a slight bump in the engagement. I was afraid Henry would want me to be with his father, or that Killian would want to call off the wedding to give me time to think. As it turned out, Henry saw Killian as a father now, and he wanted me to be with who ever made me happy. The kid was really growing up. Killian confessed that he felt bad for Bae, because he had taken his mother away and now he was marrying his old flame, but he reassured me he was much too selfish to give me up and that if I wanted to get rid of him I would have to kill him. Over dramatic, but that's a pirate for you. In the end it didn't matter, Neal and I had lost the connection we once had and felt no need to try to bring it back. The time spent apart, and not just the months he was in the Enchanted Forest, but the ten years prior, just changed us too much for us to have a future together. I would never have had left Killian anyway, there is no doubt in my mind that he is my true love. Three hundred years separated our births, and even that couldn't keep us apart. Killian has given me everything. Security in my life, love, and three amazing children. I am so glad I didn't leave him to get eaten by ogres.

"I am not stupid, take it back!" my _amazing_ child who sometimes acts like an ogre yells.

"Yes you are stupid Reny, glitter is fairy dust and if you put it on you, you'll turn into a lizard. That's what's going to happen to you now!" Cecily screams at her little sister.

"I want to be a lizard," Davey pouts, "give me some Reny." He tries to take the glitter container away from his sister.

"NO!" she starts to cry, "I don't want to be a lizard!" At this time I decide to play referee.

"Oh, honey," I pick Renee up, "You are not going to be a lizard. Cecily don't tell your sister stories to scare her, and Davey put the glitter down and get a towel to clean up this mess."

"But Reny's the one who spilled it," Davey whines. As I am about to tell him again to clean up, I hear the door in our living room slam shut.

"Killian," I yell while pointing at Davey to get the towel, "Who was it!"

Killian walks back into the kitchen dragging a confused looking Henry by the arm behind him.

"Dad, what's going on?" he asks.

"Killian?" he looks pale and sick. I haven't seen him this way since I was in the hospital pregnant with Renee and I was having problems. When he thought he would lose me. "Are you ok?"

"Um, Davey put the towel down, I'll clean this up. Henry take your brother and sisters upstairs to wash up, please." He mutters out. He is looking around as if in a daze, it's concerning me.

"Dad who was that?" Henry is also looking concerned.

"Just do what I ask," he whispers.

I look at Henry and frown while the little ones look confused at their dad. Killian is normally so full of life and laughter, that this quiet dad has them baffled. Henry gathers up the kids and leads them upstairs toward the bathroom, telling them it's ok. I look to Killian, about to demand an explanation about who was at the door, and why he is acting this way, when there is a knock again. Upon hearing this Killian loses his quiet demeanor and screams, throwing a chair across the room. I am completely shocked and back up against the wall. _What the hell is going on?_ After this he slides to the floor and starts to cry. I stand shocked for another moment before I am rushing over to him to comfort. The knocking continues.

"Killian, sweety, what's wrong? Tell me." I rub his shoulders. He seems like he is unable to hear me, tears are still streaking down his face and he is now rubbing his right wrist. The tattoo that was once there is now replaced by a swan with our wedding date on it. He is rubbing it like he can see past it to what used to be there.

"This isn't real. This isn't real." He chokes out.

"What isn't real? Talk to me!" I am really starting to lose my cool. I'm afraid of what did this to him, and I'm afraid that the children will see him like this.

"Ruin, it will be ruined." He looks right at me for the first time, and a sob is wrenched out of him. He clings to my waist and says over and over again how he loves me. I stroke his hair more confused than ever. The knocking is still going on. Whatever has happened to my husband is because of whoever is behind that door. I don't know what Killian thinks is ruin, but I will not let that person be the cause of it. I have fought too hard for my family and it will not be for nothing. I am going to fix this. Just as I am about to pry Killian off of me, and kick some ass out of whoever is behind that door, the phone rings. I sit and listen to it as Killian gets quiet, too scared to answer it. At last the machine picks it up.

_Killian, Emma!_ I hear Belle's voice come through and I relax a bit. _Oh God I don't know what to say. There was an accident over here and to make a long story short, Milah is back. Back from the dead. I know it's unbelievable and I wish I didn't have to tell you on the phone, but I think she may come looking for you. I tried_ "end of final message."

"She's here," Killian states, still rattled but looking more like himself. That's good I'm going to need him with me. _Milah_. I don't want this to be happening. Can't I have my happily ever after for once? Or does my life have to be a constant struggle? Do I only get little moment of happiness before someone decides it's too much? No. I am not going to let my life be _ruined._ Killian is a mess right now but that's ok. I wasn't me when I found out that Neal was alive, and that was only for a few months. Milah has been gone for three hundred years. Most of that time, Killian lived as Hook, trying to avenge her. But that's over, he is with me and I am going to keep it that way. I don't fear Killian betraying me, I fear what she will try to do. A woman who leaves her child behind to be with another man, is capable of anything to get him back. I get up off the floor, turn the stove off, and extend my hand to Killian.

"Let's face this," I say to him. The knocking continues. He looks at my hand and then to me. He wipes his face and pulls himself up.

"I'm sorry," he says looking ashamed. "I don't know what to do."

"We'll figure it out together, and maybe ask Belle if there is a book for 'how to handle your dead lover who has risen from the grave'."

"Ha Ha Swan." He rolls his eyes. There's my boy. We make our way to the living room, Killian hangs back by the couch. It's a start. I walk up to the door and ready myself.

"Hello," I say as I swing the door open mid-knock. "Milah? Why don't you come in and let's talk."


	5. Chapter 5

**This is going to be the last update for a while since im going on a weekend vacation. too bad b/c next will be the milah and killian alone chapter. anyway, i hope you enjoy this chapter.**

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I don't know why I freaked out like that. Well I know why. The woman I used to love who was killed in front of me three hundred years ago just showed up on my door step. I would say that is cause to freak out. I know I handled it badly and I probably scared the children, but it's just all so surreal. When I first lost Milah, I dreamed of us being reunited. I would be sailing at night and she would come to me, she would heal my blackened heart, and we would embrace. It would feel so right to have her in my arms, and I would tell her how much I loved her and how nothing would ever come between us again. I held on to this fantasy for so many years, praying for it to come true. Now that it actually has happen, it feels like a nightmare. Why now? Now, when I am so happy with my life and have completely moved on from the past. This would be the perfect example of be careful what you wish for. I regret having Emma seeing me so broken. I will not break down again. I am going to be strong for her and this family. I just wish I knew how. God I wish the knocking would stop. So does Emma I can tell. She is marching toward the door with her shoulders set in determination. I admire her more than anything else. I want to stand behind her with my chin up, to support her, but I find myself unable to get past the couch. I'm scared of what's to happen.

"Hello," my swan girl opens the door without hesitating, "Milah? Why don't you come in and let's talk."

Oh God, she's going to come into my house. The house where Emma and I have raised our children, where we've laughed and loved and fought and have just lived as husband and wife. Having her enter this place feels wrong. It's so out of place it makes my head spin. But she steps in anyway, defying all natural laws. Now that I have looked at her for more than two seconds, I can see that she looks awful. Her skin is pasty, her hair is flat, her clothes don't fit her right, and she has no shoes. It's the cold look on her face that is the most disturbing to me. I have never seen her look that way at someone I love, or at me. She is standing in the living room now looking at me. I hear Emma close the door behind her. I wonder what is going on behind those brown eyes of hers. Did they always look so dull? Is this a result of her dying? Does she think I stopped loving her? I want to tell her that I didn't, but I had to move on. I had to live again. I just don't know how to start. Fortunately Emma does that for me.

"So, Milah, my name is Emma. I know this is somewhat of a shock to you, but I'm Killian's wife, for almost seven years now, and this is our home. Do you want to ask us anything? Or you can just say whatever is on your mind. This must be hard for you." She looks so uncomfortable speaking to her, but I know this is taking a lot of strength for her.

Milah had looked away from me as Emma spoke to look at her, but now she looks back to me with a look of confusion and betrayal. "How long have I been gone?" her voice causes me complete agony, I have forgotten what it sounded like. How could I forget? I can't let it show though, I need to be strong. I will be strong.

"Over three hundred years," I say as calmly as I can. I doubt anyone in this room is feeling any sense of calm, but looking at us you wouldn't be able to tell we are all just one comment away from cracking.

Milah takes a breath and closes her eyes. "That's impossible."

"Well so is coming back from the dead." Emma mutters under her breath. This causes me to smirk.

"You think this is funny," Milah syas getting louder, "Don't lie to me! I saw Rumplestiltskin, I saw Ben, I see you, and I know Bae is alive, and there is no way you are all over three hundred years old so tell me the truth! I want the truth." I can tell by the tears in her eyes that she isn't talking about the passing of time anymore, but at the moment it's the safest question to ask.

"It's true. After you…left us,"

"Died." She corrects me. I flinch at the word.

"Well, after that, the crew and I went to Neverland with the bean we stole. We never aged there. Bae also came to live in Neverland. And the dark one doesn't age no matter what world he is in. That is how we are all still around. I only came to this world about eight years ago, that's when I started getting older again."

"And what world _is it_ that we are living in?" I look to Emma to answer this.

"We're in a town called Storybrooke, which is in a state called Maine. This is a world without magic. The only magic in this world is in this town. All the people from your world were brought here by a curse cast by an evil queen to destroy my parents' happiness."

"And what makes your parents so special to warrant such cruelty?" Milah asks with an air of indifference. I do not like where this is going. To be honest I haven't liked where this has been going since I opened that door not twenty minutes ago.

"They're the rightful King and Queen of that realm," Emma answers put off with Milah's attitude, and the fact that she hates explaining the she is royalty.

With a laugh Milah turns to me again, "So you married a princess then, is that it? And those three hundred years, were you married to other woman as well? Or is she _special?"_ Now is my chance to explain. I know she is angry but she has to understand what has happened.

"Milah, I was miserable after you died. I swore vengeance on the dark one and I spent three hundred years in a state of hate trying to find a way to kill him. It changed me completely. I was so lost and sad. You would not have wanted to see what I became," I rush to get out. I feel like I am tripping on my words, but they need to be said. "Emma saved me from that. She brought me back to life with her love, and we have been happy for a long time now. I know you don't want to hear this, and you will always be in my heart, but Emma is the one I belong with." I feel like a weight has been lifted from me. I always wanted Milah to know I was happy and even though things seem like a mess now, perhaps it is a good thing she is back. I look to Emma who is looking at me with a small smile on her face. I have stepped around the couch during my speech to move closer, and now I take Emma's hand.

"So you're happy," Milah says looking down at our joined hands. "With your _wife_ and son? If you have only been here eight years, how do you have a young man for a son?"

"Technically," Emma answers for the both of us, "Henry isn't Killian's biological son. We have two daughters and a son though together."

"Not even your son is he?" she asks with her eyebrows raised. I had never shown an interest in raising a child, so it must be odd for her to hear that I was raising a child that was not my own. I know we had talked about getting Bae back, but I don't believe she ever believed that would really happen. "Who's is he then," she asks without any real interest. She is thinking of something else.

Oh I really don't want to answer this. In fact I really don't want to be here at all anymore. Damn that crocodile for making this happen. We are going to really need to talk about the consequences of raising the dead after this particular nightmare is over.

Emma, always the brave one, answers this question. "Bale Fire is his father." I can hear our children upstairs jumping on the beds and talking. I wonder what they think is going on downstairs. Are they even thinking about us at all? They must be after the way I acted earlier.

I suppose the answer to the last question was too much for Milah. Her face is a swirl of emotions, ranging from hurt, anger, disgust, and sadness. She looks at me and then her feet, and then she turns and walks out the door. Where is she going to go?

"Emma," I start.

"Go after her and make sure she's safe. I am going to feed the kids, and clean up. Come home ok?" she says looking up at me with love and something I never wanted to see in her eyes. Fear and doubt. I can't imagine the thoughts she is keeping hidden from me.

"I always come home to you." I pull her close and whisper in her hair. I pull away and then pull her in again for a kiss full of promises, sadness, and hope. Hope, because we always come out together stronger no matter what is thrown in front of us. I pull away again, grab a coat, and head out the door to find Milah.


	6. Chapter 6

**so nothing is more fun than being eaten alive** **by bugs up camping, at least i got one chapter written in between becoming some bugs meal. i hope you enjoy this and the pain i suffered.**

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Am_ I being punished?_ It honestly feels like a punishment, learning that Killian has children and is married to a woman who had been with my son._ My son._ My face feels unbelievably hot and I think I am going to be sick. No, I know I am going to be sick. I lean over the steps and throw up everything in my stomach, which isn't much, onto their railing. I hope that bitch has to clean it up. I have to get away from this house. It's more horrific than the last house I was in, and I was brought back from the dead by the offspring of the man who had killed me in that one. I hate these houses. I have no idea where I am going, but that doesn't seem important to me. _Three kids. _This is a bigger shock to me than the amount of time I was gone. How could this be happening, Killian and I were two halves of a whole. Maybe it was wrong of me to discard the 'I'm in Hell' theory so quickly. I am a good fifty yards away from the house when I hear a set of footsteps running toward me. I can't even consider running away from him, I am too physically and emotionally drained to put in the effort. Odd, considering how long I've been "asleep". In another couple of seconds he has caught up to me and is grabbing my arm, pulling me to look at him.

"Milah, stop." He is not out of breath from the run. At least he has kept up on his working out.

"Why? Do you need to tell me that you and Rumplestiltskin are also best friends now and my son sees his new wife as a mother? Because I don't think I've had enough hurt for one day." My tone sounds hollow even to me.

"Milah, I've never meant to hurt you…" _Whack._ I found enough strength to give him a right hook to the jaw. Bastard.

"Well if you didn't mean it I guess it's all ok! I suppose it's fine you and everyone else has forgotten about me! It's just bloody brilliant! Everyone is happier with me dead!" my breath is coming in fast. For the second time today I feel a burning rage to hurt someone. Hurt them as much as I have been hurt. It's too much. Too much.

"That's not fair!" He is getting angry now as well. "No one was happy that you were dead. When you died so did I, and in some ways so did Bae. It changed us. You cannot blame him for moving on with his life. And I don't think you can blame me. I spent THRRE HUNDRED years, being an empty shell of myself to avenge you. All I ever thought about was you. I tortured myself over your death. I wasted _so much_ time."

"You waited three hundred years for me, you couldn't wait eight more!?" I can't believe I am having this fight in the middle of a road in a strange land with cold black feet. I can't believe any of this. How can your world change so fast? Shouldn't there be some sort of warning. Was there one and I just missed it? I want to go back. Why doesn't he?

"It's not like you were on holiday, and I expected you to return! You. Were. Dead.I would have thought you would be happy that I found happiness. Because I am happy." He is looking at me with pleading eyes. He used to always look at me like that and I could never deny him. I left my son because of those eyes. I love his eyes.

"I want you to be happy with _me,_ and not some cradle robber." I say in exasperation.

"Emma is hardly a cradle robber, technically she was much younger than Neal when they were together, and their story is not exactly a happy one. The only saving grace in their saga is Henry."

"Who is Neal? I am talking about Bae." I will admit, my mind hasn't been what it used to be all day, but I am starting to question his sanity as well. Why else would he abandon me.

"Neal and Bae are the same person, he changed his name when he came to this land." I notice he looks more comfortable talking about anything that is not related to us. How did we become so uncomfortable with eachother?

"What do we do now?" I want this night to be over. What am I going to do with my life if he's not in it? Who is going to love me and my black feet?

"I don't know." He is looking as tired as I feel. "Maybe we should take a break from this tonight, sleep on it I suppose. This has been a shock for everyone. Do you know where you are staying?"

He always asked stupid questions to me. To everyone else he was the fearsome, all knowing captain, but to me he was just a man. He was my man. "I have been here for two hours, how would I know where to stay." I am so tired. Three hundred years of sleep and it was not enough to prepare me for this night.

At least he is looking sheepish. He should be with me. She will never know him like I do.

"Too right, um…there is a lovely inn in town,"

"No," I cut him off. I do not want to stay in an inn where everyone will see me and start to talk. Bae should not find out from talk. How would Killian explain me when checking in? How would I pay for it? It's too much. I wish I was still dead. How cold does it get in this land? I feel as though I'm made of ice. " I do not wish to stay in an inn." Perhaps I could stay with one of the crew. They respect me and it seems like everyone has made it to this little town.

While I am considering all of this in my head, I notice him considering his own thoughts silently. Again he takes my arm and starts to walk back the way I came, toward the sea. We are silent. I am silent because I can no longer form words and even if I could, I feel as though I could not stand his words that might follow them. He is silent because he is keeping some emotion hidden from me. I hope it's guilt.

Further along the docks, I notice something I did not on my way to his house. Rocking gently in the water, blessedly the same as always is the _Jolly Roger_. Yes, this is where I want to be. My whole life I had wanted adventure, and this ship was my wish come true. Perhaps it can be my savior again, at least for this night.

We walk toward the edge of the plank when he stops behind me. "You can stay here as long as you need. There is a trunk under my bed of some of your clothes. Feel free to have whatever you want. The _Jolly Roger_ can be your home for the time being." He told me once a long time ago that this ship could be my home. My heart feels like it is being ripped from me again, hearing those same words under these circumstances. He is bringing me here to keep me away from his wife and children. I look at his face, it is set with sadness yet a strength that always followed him no matter what the situation. I could look at his face for all of eternity. Yet I can say nothing to it right now, so I walk up the plank and away from him. I stay on deck, so familiar, and watch him walk away. Back to her. To them. To his new life that does not involve me. I died on this deck. Right where I am standing now. I still feel dead. _Will this ever go away?_ Everything is becoming fuzzy around the edges. I head below deck to the captain's quarters. Everything appears the same. I don't know if this makes me feel good or if it makes me want to be sick again. It is almost a mockery of my existence. Everything appears the same on the outside, but everything is dark and twisted on the inside where it matters. I have been in this room a thousand times. Made so many wonderful memories in here. I get under the covers, with my new clothes, with my dirty feet._ What is wrong with me?_ Everything smells the same. Before I go to sleep, I vow to make everything the same again. I will have my son, I will have my love. This is not my life, but I will make it mine again. I will make it right.


	7. Chapter 7

**so far i think i like writing in milah's voice the best, because i can make her crazy, but writing this chapter in henry's voice is making me think he will be more fun to write for. let me know which pov is best. i hope you enjoy it**

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_Well that was one awkward dinner,_ I think as I shut my bedroom door and throw myself on my bed. Why can't anything ever be simple? Life was going so well, except for my current love life, and now everything is going to turn into a giant mess. _Milah_ is back in the game, my dad's ex snuggle friend. Who is also my grandma, so many levels of wrong there. I wish I had never opened up that door. Mom didn't say anything about it at dinner, she was somewhere completely else in her mind, but I knew what was going on. While I was upstairs watching the terrible trio, I heard the recording from Belle. How many times can someone in my family be brought back from the dead?! I feel like we have reached our quota. I mean, sure I was only dead for about a second when my mom brought me back to life with a kiss, and my dad Neal wasn't technically dead, but still this is becoming ridiculous!

I toss over onto my back and stare up at my ceiling. Looking at the big picture, people "dying" in my family actually has been a good thing. If I had never had died, the curse on the town would never had been broken and everyone would still be walking around thinking they were someone else and believing that I was crazy. I chuckle at the thought. I'm not saying I'm not crazy, the dynamics of my family have almost drove me to madness, but it's a fun kind of crazy.

If Neal had never been thought to be dead, than my mom and dad, Killian, might never had gotten together. Those two need each other. When Killian saved me from Neverland, I decided if my mom was to be with anybody, it should be him. He was brave, handsome, fun, and a pirate. And he drove her crazy. They put up some resistance at first, but with my amazing operations, I got those two to fall madly in love. And it's not like my dad Neal is missing out on anything, he married my adoptive mom, which was convenient for me since I already called her mom. Sometimes it's confusing calling two people mom and two people dad, but that's what those people just are to me. Besides, it's worth having two sets of families, because instead of being an only child, I now have three brothers and two sisters. So "coming back from the dead" has been very beneficial to me.

While I contemplate all of this, I hear my mom get on the phone. My old sneaking habits die hard, so I pick up the phone lying under a pile of comics in my room and listen. My grandma is on the other line.

_Emma, what's wrong sweety, you sound upset?_

_It's Killian,_ my mom sniffles. Oh god it sounds like she's been crying. I hate Milah.

_What's happening, you sound like you've been crying?_

_It's Milah, she's back._

_What does that mean? "She's back". Milah is dead._ Way to state the obvious Grandma.

_That was yesterday, today she is alive. I assume the not so dark one had something to do with it because Belle was the one who called to warn us._

_Warn you about what?_

_That she might come looking for Killian._

_And did she?_

_Yeah she was at the house earlier._

_Oh my God. How did Killian handle it?_

_Not well at first. He had sort of a break down, which I completely understand, I just…I just wish this wasn't happening to us!_

_I'm so sorry Emma. I know this must be hard. I know that magic always comes with a price, I just hate that you and Killian have to pay it. What happened when she came to the house?_

_We tried to explain some things to her. She seemed really out of it, I guess being dead for three centuries will do that to you._

_How did she take it? You know, the fact that you and Killian are together?_

_So so. She was upset. What really put her over the edge was the fact that I had a son with her son. She just left after she heard that. Killian went after her to make sure she was ok, but he hasn't come back and that was an hour ago._

That explains why dad wasn't at dinner earlier.

_Oh, Emma I'm sure he's just trying to calm her, and get her settled into Granny's for the night. God, I can't believe this is happening. Rumplestiltskin is going to have to answer for this!_

_What's he going to do? Kill her again, mom?_

_No, but…he should do something! It's his fault no doubt._

_I'm just worried…_

_About what honey?_

_What if he really wants her and not me?_ My mom's voice is a whisper now. I don't want to listen to this anymore. I set the phone down on the receiver as quietly as I can. Somehow I don't see this "back from the dead" experience working out for the common good as the last ones. I have no doubt that Killian loves my mom, and I know he would never abandon her, but I don't trust this _Milah (_dumb name) character at all. I have heard stories about her and I know she will do anything in her power to break up my parents to get what she wants. Well, what she doesn't know is that I am going to be one step ahead of her, foiling her every move. It's time for a new operation to take place, operation "keep that zombie bitch away from my dad" aka operation zombie. And this time I will have the help of my siblings, nothing kills the plans of romance than five kids under the age of eight led by a teenage boy. Although I believe the first step of my plan should be making everyone aware of the situation. So, I look through my book bag and pull out my cell phone. I scroll through my contacts and come up with the name of the person who will be the second most affected by this occurrence. _Neal._

"Dad?"

"Hey, Henry, what's up?"

"Your mom."


	8. Chapter 8

**Not much to say about this chapter. im glad this day is finally ending for them so i can move on to fun antics that will mess up their lives in amusing ways. well amusing for me. they probably won't appreciate it. any way, i hope you enjoy this chapter**

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"What if he really wants her and not me?" God that idea kills me inside. I used to wonder a lot if Killian loved me as much as he had loved Milah, and if he would rather be with her given the chance. Of course I scoffed at that idea as impossible and over time I let the anxiety go. It was stupid to compare myself to a dead lover when what we had was so strong. But now that old fear is coming back, and I just wish he would come home.

"Emma, Killian loves you, he has from the first time he ever saw you, I know I was there. He adores your children and the life you two have made, he would never give that up. He let go of Milah a long time ago, and that's the way it's going to stay. A true love like yours can't be broken so easily." Spoken with such conviction, this is why people have moms. I don't know how I went twenty eight years without one.

"I think that's true, I would just feel better if," at last I hear the sound I've been waiting for over an hour, the lock to the door being turned and opened.

"Emma?" he sounds tired.

"Mom I have to go, I'll call you tomorrow."

"Is that Killian?"

"Yes, he just got in."

"Ok honey, I'll talk to you tomorrow…just remember what I said."

Killian is now standing in the doorway to our bedroom. "I will, love you."

"Love you too, honey." And that is the end of that conversation. I put down the phone and look up at Killian who has made his way over to the bed.

"Got some secret lover I need to know about, lass?" Oh how I appreciate the tired smirk.

"Yeah, petite person, short black hair, likes it when I call her 'mommy'."

"Kinky, can I play?"

"What took you so long dip shit?" I roll my eyes at him as he settles down beside me on the bed.

"Hey! Be nice to me, remember I have options now." Thinking back to my conversation with my mother his words hurt even more. The pain must have been visible on my face, because he looked sick and took me into his arms. "I didn't mean that, I was just…being a dip shit. I'm sorry, love." He pauses for a minute to stroke my hair. " I didn't talk to Milah much, she was pretty upset. I just took her to the ship so she could have a place to rest, she was against staying at Granny's."

"She's on the _Jolly Roger_ right now?" great, the place where I spent some of our earliest happy memories. The day gets better and better.

"Yes, I thought she would feel the safest somewhere that was familiar to her."

"No, that's good, I don't want her to be uncomfortable. What took so long though?" At this he sighs, releases me and shifts on the bed.

"After I left her on the ship, I walked over to Rumplestiltskin's house. I wanted to confront him, find out exactly what it was he had done. But when I got there, I just didn't have it in me to face him. I already had had enough for one day, I didn't need him to make it any worse. I also thought I would be less inclined to kill him if you were there with me." He gives me a little smile at this. I pat his hand.

"Of course, we can go tomorrow. Maybe rough him up a bit."

"I would not say no to that. Are the kids asleep?"

"Not yet, they brushed their teeth but I told them they could stay up a little later tonight."

"I think I'm going to go check on them. Make sure I haven't emotionally scarred them with my behavior earlier." We have both stood up now, and I throw my arms around him.

"They're strong kids, just like their parents. Besides it wasn't that bad, not considering what you're going through."

"Still, I just want to tuck them in."

I release him and watch him leave to go look in on the kids. While he is gone I make my way over to Henry's room. I spy him writing furiously in his notebook.

"What do you got going on there kid?" I ask. He looks up at me and shuts the book, but not before I see a big letter Z on the header of the paper.

"Not much, just a project I'm working on. How's dad doing? I heard him come in." I move closer into his room. Man this place is a mess, I will never understand the ways of teenage boys.

"He's ok, just putting the munchkins down for the night. Did you hear what's happening?" I start to fiddle with one of his old toys. Racecar.

"Are you referring to the fact that his ex-honey Milah is back from the dead or the fact that she's going to be living on our ship?"

I look up. "The first I guess. Do you hear everything in this house?"

"I have my ways."

"Well it's creeping me out, so stop." We smile at each other for a minute. Henry always makes me feel good, with his sweetness and caring. It's like everything that was good about me and Neal went into him. I can't stop myself from going to his bed and hugging him hard.

"It's going to be Ok, mom. It's not like anything is really going to change. You and dad are still going to be together and act all gross all the time, me and the bite sizes will still cause havoc, and everyone will just have to deal with it because we're royalty and you're the sheriff. The only difference is that we have one more insane person to add to our already crazy family."

The way his brain works amazes me. "I know, it's just weird right now, is all. I can't wait for this drama to just pass."

"We're fairytale characters, there is always going to be drama." He rolls his eyes at me. I think me and Killian have given him some bad habits.

"Technically you are no fairy tale character lad." Killian says as he appears at the door.

"Yeah but I'm surrounded by enough of you that I get caught up in your drama. Watch, tomorrow somebody will lose their memory, somebody will find out that they have a long lost sibling, and somebody will get eaten by a mermaid. This stuff happens to us!"

"For the record, I have never lost my memory." Killian says.

"And I have never had a long lost sibling." I put in.

"Yeah, but you had a long lost son and long lost parents, and your dead ex is alive and kicking. So I rest my case."

"Which was..?"

"We attract drama. And if you would be so kind, I need to prepare myself for the next disaster."

"The only disaster you need to worry about is home work," I say and get off his bed to join Killian by the door, "so finish up your project and hit the sack. Soon."

"I will. Goodnight." Again he picks up his notebook.

"Goodnight." We both say, shut his door, and make our way to our room.

"What a peculiar lad." He says as he shuts our door.

"Yeah, but you love him."

"I love all of you." He is looking at me with an increased intensity that was not there a minute before. "I love our children, our home, your parents, their kids, I even love Neal and his children. But I especially love you, and nothing will ever change that." I am flustered by his words, and a bit ashamed that I would ever doubt him.

"I know," I whisper, "I feel the same way." This day has been intense and now, thankfully, it's almost over. "Are you ready for bed?"

"Hmm…not exactly." He starts coming toward me. He gets so close that I back up and fall on the bed. This doesn't deter him, he just climbs on top of me and an evil smirk appears on his face.

"Seriously?" I ask, "After everything that's happened today…seriously?"

He laughs, and starts to nuzzle my neck. Damn pirate. "I believe I missed dinner tonight, and I'm feeling a bit puckish."

"I think you mean peckish." I say breathless, his hands have moved to bad parts, well only bad if I want to think straight.

"I know what I said." _Oh why the hell not?_ We both had a rough day, and what better way to salvage it than being with the person you love?

"Handcuffs?"

"You sure know your way to a man's heart, love."

* * *

Emma is beautiful when she sleeps. Of course she is always beautiful, but when she is asleep, all the hurt and insecurities of the day disappear from her face and she is just Emma. Today I saw more hurt on her face than I ever wanted to see. And most of it was because of me. I never want to see that again, to be the cause. I want to make her the happiest person in the world, to be there for her and our children. I vowed to love her forever, and I will keep that vow. Tomorrow we will find out exactly what is going on, and we will face it together. I will give her the life she deserves. I will make it right.


	9. Chapter 9

**So i hope you all enjoy this chapter, not much else to say about it. if anyone cares "behind blue eyes" is now my favorite song because i feel like it is the perfect Hook song. i have a problem and i acknowledge it, im just not willing to do anything about it.**

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_Knock, knock, knock,knock,knock,knock,knock._

Answer the damn door already! I have been knocking on this door for three minutes and still no one has answered. It's like ten in the morning, how long do these people sleep till? You would think that with three little kids they would be up much earlier. Sure it's a Saturday and all but… Finally, the door is opening.

"Neal, what the hell do you want? Do you know what time it is? I know you're not originally from this world, but where I come from people sleep in until eleven on Saturdays, at least." Emma scolds me looking extremely pissed off.

I step into the house, brushing past her. Normally I would be embarrassed by seeing her in her short robe, but right now I am so not in the mood. "I'm sorry, next time my mom comes back from the dead and scares the living shit out of me, I'll remember to wait an appropriate amount of time to come by your house and freak out."

"You know she's back, she came to talk to you?" She shuts the door and comes back inside the house to stand in front of me. I can hear movement upstairs, like more people are getting up.

"Yeah she did, in some weird pirate get up. And by the way, thanks for the call to give me a heads up, real considerate." I don't tell her that Henry called me, I want to make her feel as guilty as possible for the moment. Yes, it worked! She looks at her feet in shame.

"I'm sorry. Things were hectic around here last night, and to be honest I didn't think she would be so mobile that fast. I thought she would at least come back to see Killian."

"Yeah, because what am I?" I ask all snarky, "Just her constantly forgotten son."

"Neal." She says looking angry at me. One thing Emma does not care for is my self pity.

"Yeah, well it's not your fault." I sit on the couch. There is definite movement now upstairs. I can hear little feet running around, and someone just flushed a toilet. I'm going to have to tone down my spazzing, in front of the kids. At least keep the swear words to a minimum. Hook enters the room, dressed, and with a cup of orange juice; he never got adjusted to coffee. Everyone thinks of him as Killian, but to me he will always be Hook. It's not that I don't like him, he saved my son and gets along well enough with my boys. It's just that when someone has an affair with your mother, and then marries your ex-girlfriend, you never really feel like being pals, no matter how ok a guy they are. I think it's a rule. So he will always be Hook, because calling him Killian is just too weird.

"What's not her fault, Neal?" He asks coming to sit in the arm chair across from the couch. Emma moves over to sit on the arm rest next to him. _Suppress the eye roll. Suppress it._

"The fact that my mother was gone for three hundred years and the first person she sees is you instead of me, her son." Ah, there's guilt in his eyes too. Two points for Neal! Of course it's the wrong people who are feeling guilty, but I'll get what I can take.

Emma slides off the arm rest and gets to her feet. "I'm going to get dressed, before the kids are all up." Subtly leaving the room, so it's just me and Hook. _Thanks a lot._

"Neal, what happened this morning?" He took to calling me Neal pretty easily, I guess he didn't want to call me by my real name either, bring up too many old memories. It's easier if I'm just Neal.

I sigh, and brush my hair out of my eyes. "Not a whole lot. Milah came by our house, how she found out where I live I don't know, and asked to talk to me. Ryan was by the door when Regina answered it and he started freaking out and crying because he thought Halloween was this morning and he doesn't have his costume yet."

At this he interrupts me, "Why did seeing her make him think it was Halloween?"

"Because she was dressed up like a pirate. Care to explain that?"

"She needed a place to stay last night, I took her to the ship. She must have found some of her old clothes and felt more comfortable wearing them." He still has some of my mom's old clothes on his ship. That's just…weird. Really weird and it makes my head hurt, but that is so not the point right now. I must have looked at him like he was crazy just a little too much, because he huffs and leans towards me with a scowl. "Where would you have liked me to put her? In our guest bed? I just wanted her to feel better, she's been through a lot dying and all, and I thought having her stay somewhere she was familiar with would make her happy. So stop looking at me like a fish out of water and continue your bloody story." I don't know what Emma sees in this guy. But I continue anyway.

"Well after Regina calmed Ryan down, explaining to him that Halloween is still two weeks away, I came into my living room with Michael to find my mom there."

"I'm sure that must have come as a shock."

"Yeah, I expected her there much earlier." I say, crossing my arms, and earning a surprised look from him.

"You knew she was here?" he asks in shock.

"Yeah, last night Henry gave me a heads up. I thought stupidly that she might come to see me, but I guess she was pretty tuckered out spending her time with you. Still, I didn't get any sleep last night waiting, so excuse me if I'm just a bit testy."

"You know nothing happened between me and Milah last night, right?" he asks looking deadly serious. As much as I hate this guy sometimes, I know he would never hurt Emma like that, or his family. He loves them as much as I love mine.

"Yes," I sigh again, "I know, like I said, I'm just testy. I never really planned for this."

"I don't think any of us did," he smiles slightly.

"Well, when your dad is all magical and powerful I guess you should be prepared for anything. Anyway, she only stayed a little while. She seemed to be… I don't know. Upset? Off put? I don't know how to describe it. She was just off. I don't know if it's because I'm a grown man with children and she missed out on a lot of that, or if she's feeling guilty, or maybe she's feeling tied down by seeing how big her family has gotten. She was never really comfortable by being just a mom. Now she's a mom and a grandma. She said what you would expect though. That she was sorry she left me and she was going to come back. This was a second chance for us to be together. When I asked her how she could leave me and why she was back now, she just wigged and took off. I really didn't feel like going after her." I lean my head back against the couch, really feeling my night without sleep, and that's the end of my story. Hook is looking at me, but I can tell he is still processing what I just said. I finally hear someone come down the steps, but it's not Emma, it's Henry.

"Good morning Dads! What are you doing here biological father?" Before I can answer he is in the kitchen getting food. I remember what it felt like to be a teenage boy. Hungry.

"Morning people." I say to Hook.

"Yeah, they annoy me too." Henry comes back in with three poptarts and a glass of milk and sits right next to me.

"Poptart?" he offers.

"Sure," s'more flavor. "I came by to give you guys the play by play of what happened this morning." He raises his eyebrows. "My mom came over. Thanks for the call, saved me from passing out in shock."

"That's why I'm here," he says with cheer and a mouthful of poptart, "to make your lives full of joy!" he has no idea how much joy he really brings to everyone. Henry is the most amazing person I've ever known and I'm so glad I get to be called his dad. If only Hook didn't have that title also…

"Don't get crumbs everywhere." Emma has finally joined us again. And it's just not her, it's the whole crew of little Jones. Not a huge fan of their father, but damn they're cute.

"Hey Uncle Neal," Cecily runs up and hugs me. Hugs go around, and then they are off to the play room to discover lost lands, or whatever game they are currently involved in.

"So what are we going to do? With Milah?" Emma asks, addressing the elephant in the room.

"I don't know," I answer. "Do we even know how she came back?"

"No, but we know it has something to do with the dark one." Killian puts in.

"Then maybe we should go give my dad a visit, get all the facts."

"Is that really going to solve anything" Emma says looking as tired as me. This has got to be stressful for her, I wonder if she got any sleep last night either.

"No," Killian looks upset but determined, "but it's a place to start. We are all going to have to be together in this, including Rumplestiltskin, to support each other and to help Milah. She seems different, I'm not sure if that is just from being dead, or if whatever spell he did affected her. I think we should try to help her, get her adjusted." Always thinking of Milah. _Don't be bitter, you're over this_. I don't think I'm ever going to be over the Milah and Hook thing, and her being back and him trying to help her is not improving anything. But Emma seems ok with it, and she smiles at him with love, ugh, and rubs his shoulder.

"Ok, we'll go see Rumplestiltskin, try to sort things out. Henry, you up for babysitting?"

"What's the objective?"

"Get them fed, clean them up, play with them, and if we're taking a long time, get them to nap. We should be back before two."

"I think I can manage that. Oh and this is totally unrelated, but the new _Avengers_ movie is coming out on Friday and I would not say no to tickets. Just putting that out there. You guys go have fun interrogating, and or torturing grandpa. Say hi to Belle and Rosie for me." Odd kid, but gotta love him.

"Alright," I say and get up. Emma and Hook follow my lead. "Let's go."


	10. Chapter 10

**This story was originally only going to have two povs, rumple's in the beginning and then just Killian's. this concept has really gotten away from me. but i'm having fun :) i hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

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"Does anybody want any tea, or maybe some coffee?" I ask feeling nervous. Neal, Emma, and Hook, er Killian, showed up at the house around eleven, about fifteen minutes ago, and I can almost positively guess what this is about. _Milah._ I feel so bad letting her out of the house yesterday, the poor thing must have been scared to, well to say death seems like a distasteful way to word it. I really did want to go after her, but Rumple said she could be unpredictable and possibly violent, especially to the people he loved. It's not fair that she has this opinion of Rumple, yes he killed her and we have had our problems, but he is a different man from the time she knew him. He is kind and loving, funny, and a great father. I know some people are still wary of him, but I would never marry anyone if they were truly evil. I felt like all of this needed to be explained to Milah, but Rumple was right, she was scared and could lash out, and Rosie was still shaken up so I didn't want to leave her. Sometimes I fear Rosie's magic will become too strong and hurt her. I would rather she didn't practice at all, but it is a part of her, and it does bring her and her father close. Still, I have a feeling like her magic will be stronger than anyone's and it is going to come with major consequences. She is only seven and already this last act of magic is causing the three people sitting in front of me emotional turmoil. And that's not even counting the person she raised from the dead. My life since Storybrooke has never been dull.

"No thanks, love." Killian says distracted. "When can we expect your husband, Belle?"

"In a minute, he took Rosie for a walk about thirty minutes ago, they should be back soon."

"See, people do exist before eleven on Saturdays," Neal shoots at Emma.

"Only in your psychotic family." They go on like this for a couple of minutes; Killian is sitting quietly in thought stroking Emma's hand. I always knew Rumple had good in him and could change, but I would never had expected the transformation that Killian went through. When I first met him, he was terrifying, cruel, and heartless. All proven by the way he hit me, trapped me, and shot me. Not his number one fan by far. I almost dropped from shock when he came back to save the town, and I almost dropped again when he came back in love with Emma. Love completely transformed him. He was now nice, considerate, and great with children. All together pleasant guy to be around. Seeing him so quiet now, makes me nervous. Nervous that with Milah's return, all that he has work to become could be gone from confusion and doubt. I don't want to see Hook return.

"Killian," I sit down next to him. "How are you doing?" I say softly. At this he looks up at me with surprise in his eyes.

"Umm…not really sure how to answer that. I suppose I'm fine, just a bit shaken up. Your phone call could have come three minutes earlier, that would have been nice," he gives a small smile.

There are keys in the lock a second later, and the door opens up. Rumple and Rosie come in from the foyer, taking their coats off and spot us.

"Captain!" Rosie jumps onto Killian's lap. She adores him, a fact that shakes Rumple with loathing. "Is Davey here?" Ah yes, Rosie loves Killian's little Davey. Actually loves him. Last year, Davey proposed to Rosie. He said and I quote "she is the most prettiest, funniest, awesome girl ever. That makes her the best, and Jones men must always have the best". No doubt brainwashed by his charming father. Rosie squealed and said yes and I thought Rumple was going to have a heart attack, especially when Killian started laughing in his face. Ever since then the two kids have been inseparable.

"Sorry, matey, at last he is with his other siblings at home, but I'm sure you'll see him later." He bounces her on his knee for a bit while she giggles. I really don't want to see Hook come back, because Killian is a great man.

"Rosie," Rumple interrupts, "why don't you make your bed and play in your room for a while?"

She gets off Killian and looks around at us. We all try to look normal, but there is something off about us that even a seven year old can pick up on. "Is this because what I did?" she looks so sad, when only a minute ago she was happy. It breaks my heart to see so much guilt on her little shoulders, even if she doesn't completely understand it.

"Oh Rose," Emma speaks up, "you didn't do anything wrong. There's just some grown up stuff we need to discuss with your daddy."

"So this isn't about me bringing that woman into our basement last night?" Blunt.

"What woman?" all three ask at once. I notice Rumple looking anxious, moving closer to our daughter.

"The naked brown haired woman." They are all looking at her with wide eyes.

"Rosie, the bed." Rumple reminds her. She looks at him, then me, shrugs and marches up the steps, no doubt thinking of how she can spy on us. Rumple waves his hand and now there is a protective barrier around us, keeping her from listening in.

"Rosie brought Milah back?" Neal questions his father. He dislikes magic more than me, and hates that his little sister is messing around with it.

"It was an accident." I stand up and move toward him, standing in front of them. "She was doing a spell to bring back something she thought was lost. The red ring that matches mine. She decided she likes red better than blue." He shakes his head.

"That ring isn't lost, I have it." Killian says looking confused. "I haven't worn that since I've been married to Emma, how did she know about that?"

"And how did that bring Milah back?" Emma jumps in.

"I told her there was a matching one, I did not inform her why you would have it. I think she's a little too young to hear that story, don't you? And to answer your question Mrs. Jones, Rosie used my ring for the spell. She asked for something that was lost to be brought back, and Milah was the one who gave me that ring for our wedding, so it brought her back, the original owner."

"How can a little girl like Rosie have the sort of power to bring someone back to life? The most powerful sorcerers don't have that sort of power. You don't even have that sort of power." Neal asks looking more visibly upset. I hate to see the rift between him and his father retuning over this.

"Rosie is the daughter of the Dark One, there is no other child like her before. She has power that is unprecedented. Also, magic does not work the same way here as it does back in the Enchanted Forest. Regina, Emma, and myself cannot wield it as well here as we could back there, but Rosie was born here, she can tap into the magic here like none of us can. She is completely unique and sometimes without guidance in her magic. I do the best I can, but sometimes she does things that come as a complete shock to me, such as this." The stress and feeling of incompetence is written plainly on his face. I see Neal look at him with some sympathy and I feel my heart squeeze with hope.

"So what does this all mean? Milah is back, but is she back for good, and what affects has this spell had on her?" Killian asks with concern. Rumple bristles at this. Him, Killian, and the thought of Milah never went well together in the same room. I shudder to think what would be said with her literally in the room.

"As I said, _pirate_, this is completely unprecedented, I have no idea what is going to happen. I have talked to Rosie about the spell she used and I will analyze it later to get an idea of what we can expect of your dear Milah." Now Emma is the one who bristles at his words. " I do not know if the spell is permanent or what mental or physical affects it could have on her. I'm sure being dead for such a long time has had some sort of effect on her, but whether it's natural or supernatural I just do not know yet." He says with anger. I wish he wouldn't be so testy about this.

"Rumple, Killian was only voicing all of our concerns. There is no need to attack anyone."

"If anything we should be attacking you. You're the one who killed her in the first place. And you're the one teaching Rose to use magic." Emma comes to Killian's defense.

"Would you rather I leave her untrained and completely unable to control what was born inside her?" He fires back. Things are getting real tense now.

"I think you should have some control over what your child is doing. How is she allowed to do spells on her own at her age? Are you even watching her at all?" Emma is now standing, facing my husband.

"Emma, I know your upset," I come between them, "but this was an accident. Of course we watch Rosie, I don't know how you could suggest such a thing. But you should know it's impossible to monitor your child's every action. Bad stuff happens, and now all we can do is try to make it better. Not jump down each other's throats."

"So how do we make it better?" Killian asks, also getting up to stand next to Emma.

"Yeah, apparently we don't know much about what brought her back or the effects it's had, so what can we do?" Neal asks, the only one of us still sitting down. He looks extremely tired. We are all silent, looking from one person to the next.

"I suppose we should try to talk to her," I speak at last. At the moment I feel as though I am the most emotionally removed person from this conversation. Not that I don't care, it's just this return of Milah affects these four people the most, and everyone else is an outsider to their pain and confusion. "Try to get her used to the way things are around here. Like the clothes and food, ect. I think that would be a good place to start."

"Yeah, get her out of that pirate garb for starters," Neal suggests.

"Maybe someone not so close to the situation should do that, like my mom or Ruby." Emma suggests. "I just feel like none of us are really qualified to give her normalcy. What with all the questions, burning hate and love between us."

Killian looks at her,"Do you not think we should straighten all this emotional stuff out first? It's not like clothes and how to work a toaster are the most important things in the world."

Neal looks at Killian with smothered disgust at his outburst. Some old feelings are definitely resurfacing, and I'm sure Neal doesn't like it being suggested that Killian is the only one who is caring for his mother."I'm not sure she could handle all of the big things right now."

"She did seem on edge yesterday, perhaps some space from you four would be best."

"Then I suggest you find her and get your mother updated with her task." Rumple says to Emma with a dismissive look.

Neal is now looking bitter. "We already know where she is."

"And where would that be son?"

" The _Jolly Roger_." Emma says giving Killian a side look. He just sighs and rolls his eyes. Poor Killian.

I silently curse and look over to Rumple, who is looking at Killian with a mix of disgust and shock. After a few seconds the shock subsides and just disgust is there and he looks up at the ceiling, "Of course."


	11. Chapter 11

**This was originally going to be a longer chapter, but i decided to split it up into two parts. builds the suspense. if it's one thing us OUaT fans know how to do, it's live with long waits. anyway i hope you enjoy this.**

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"Is Captain Crunch a real captain like daddy?" Renee asks me. To be honest I'm not really paying much attention to the little kids in front of me. I got them to stop attacking me with cardboard swords ten minutes ago, and now they are finally seated around the table eating cereal. This operation Zombie is occupying much of my thought, and I need to get the siblings involved without them telling anyone what it is we're doing. Of course, I'm not even a hundred percent sure what it is we are doing. I just know it involves keeping undead grandma away from our dad. However that may happen.

"There are different kinds of captains," I explain with all eyes on me, "Dad is captain of a ship, Captain Crunch is a captain of delicious cereal, a much tougher captain if you ask me, and I am captain of you three munchkins."

"I thought I was the captain," Cecily pouts.

"You are my right hand gal, my eyes and ears when I'm not around." That makes her puff up with pride.

"What am I?" Davey asks.

"Yeah what about meeee!?" Renee jumps up and down in her chair. Maybe sugar cereal was not the best idea. Or the _perfect_ idea. No, probably bad.

"Davey, you're my muscles, the man who isn't afraid to get down and dirty. I may be the brains, but that means nothing without you. Renee, you're the distraction. While everything is going down, you go around acting adorable, taking everybody's attention off of us. This is what siblings do, they work together, they complement each other." Now I have them right where I want them. They are all accepting of their roles, and are feeling a sense of unity. I could tell them to rob a bank for me now, and they would do it. They would fail, but they would most certainly try. I have a way of making people do as I say. I got my mom to stay in Storybrooke all those years ago, and she's the most stubborn person ever. Now is the perfect time to tell them of the new operation. All the adults in the house are gone, and I have their full attention.

"Now, I need you guys to pay full attention to me, and what I say cannot be repeated to anyone, understand?"

"Which job is more important?" Davey ask, with a mouthful of cereal.

"Mine is of course, I'm his right hand gal!" Cecily shouts.

"Nauh, didn't you hear, you guys are nothing without me!"

"You're only three, he's just saying that to make you feel like you do anything."

"You're lying, Cecy stop being mean!"

"I'm the one who does all the _actual _work!"

Ugh, I'm starting to get a headache. I love these guys to death, but could they be a little less…little? Things are seriously getting off track now. Oh God. The worst thing that can happen is starting to happen. NO.

"Renee, don't cry!" I say, ok whine maybe, and get up and put her on my lap. " Everything's ok. All of you are just as equally important." Lie, I'm the most important, just kidding, but really. "Cecily, apologize." I do not need this now.

"But I was just saying the truth!"

"If you guys can't get along, I won't tell you about operation Z." Please let this work.

"What's operation Z?" Cecily and Davey both ask. Twin stuff. But Renee is also looking at me with curiosity in her wide green eyes.

"I'm not sure I should tell, what with you guys always fighting and such. It is too important to be messed up."

"We won't fight." Renee softly says.

Cecily looks terrified at the idea that I might not tell them the plan. "Yeah, we're sorry. Really."

"Are you sure I can trust you?"

"YES!"

Sometimes I think I'm too smart for my own good. I know that might sound like an egotistical but can you blame me? Look with who I live with, Captain Hook, the savior of a town, Snow White, Price Charming, the Evil Queen, I'm surrounded by epicness. It's rubbed off. Ok I'm back.

"Well as you know, we had an unexpected visitor last night. Now what you don't know is that person's name is Milah, and she has a history with our dad."

"What kind of history?" Cecily asks?

"The long boring type. Anyway, to make a long story short, there is a chance that she may want to get close to dad. It's our job to keep that from happening."

"Why? Aren't friends good?" Ahh innocent Renee.

"She doesn't want to be _friends_ with him."

Cecily is looking concerned now. "Is she going to hurt daddy?"

"I suppose she will in a way, if we don't stop her."

"Shouldn't we tell mommy. She can protect daddy." Renee was always a wildcard in this, a habitual tattle tell.

"Mom knows all about this. What she doesn't know is that we are going to be helping behind the scenes. This has to stay between us right now."

"Can we tell Michael and Ryan?" Davey questions. I can tell he is on board with this.

"Eventually, we'll probably need their help. Rosie could also be valuable to us." At the mention of Rosie Davey perks way up. Man, does that kid have it bad and he's only five. Sucker.

"What is it that we have to do?" Cecily takes her bowl over to the sink and puts it in.

"Well, for right now, we're going to keep an eye out for this Milah. If you see her talking to dad, I want you to just run up to him and act like the happiest most annoying version of yourselves you can be. When that's over I want you to tell me everything you heard of their conversation. This will help us with further planning. Other than that, it's the most we can do with our current amount of information. Once we learn more, we can scheme accordingly. This is part one of operation Z."

"What does Milah look like?"

"Good question Davey. Well from what I saw of her last night, she's tall, has brown curly hair, brown eyes, around forty, pretty pale, personally not my type." Her being my grandma probably plays a factor in that.

"Like the woman standing outside our house now?" Cecily calls over from the window by the sink. I jump out of my chair, it makes a scratching noise, and run over toward the window to look outside. Sure enough, there is Milah looking around our house with an expression of confusion and a bit of loss. That's some nerve. And what the hell is she wearing? She reminds me of how Killian used to dress before mom made him change his clothes by threatening to leave him. Except it's a girl version of that.

"Guys, bring your bowls over here and go upstairs. Stay hidden on the steps and listen. I'm going to take care of this and then we'll regroup after, got me?" They nod, and do what I say. All three of them marching up the steps. _It's show time._ I straighten up and walk to the side door in the kitchen that leads to the backyard where she is standing.

"Hey Milah," I open the door and shout out, smirking evilly inside. She looks at me startled. "Want to come inside?"


	12. Chapter 12

**A short chapter, i swear big stuff is going to happen soonish. thanks for the reviews, it makes me feel like im not wasting mine or other people's time. so i hope you enjoy this chapter.**

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"Are you sure we shouldn't stop by the house before we go to your parents?" Killian asks me. Since we took Neal's car over to his father's, we are now walking to my parent's house. It's not like anything is actually far in this town, so when Neal said he was staying longer at his dad's, me and Killian decided to walk. Most of the time I love Neal, but he was getting on my nerves majorly today. I also never skip possible alone time with my husband.

"Nah," I reach for his hand as we walk. It sometimes amazes me how much I'm still in love with him after all these years. I'm sure seven years isn't much to some people, but this is most certainly my longest, healthiest relationship. "I'm sure Henry is doing fine, how much trouble could they even get into?"

"You do realize they are half of each of us right?"

"We'll make it a quick visit." He laughs at this. I like how he considers Henry his, without question. Of course this ruffles Neal's feathers, but he can just suck it. Neither of us were there for a big part of Henry's life, and now we have to deal with him having a rather unorthodox family.

"What are you thinking about? Our little meeting today?" I must have been thinking about our family dynamic longer than I realized, causing him to get curious.

"What? Oh, no. Actually…" I pause, I might as well tell him the truth, he can read through me anyway. "I was thinking about how you think of Henry as a son, and he has two dads and two moms, and all of these brothers and sisters and it's all so much. Do you ever wish you had stayed away from me and all of this madness?" I rush out all at once.

He looks at me like I'm crazy and throws his head back and laughs. "Emma, my silly little bird. I'm not sure I _could_ have stayed away from you even if I tried. And I love this madness we call family. I never had a big family, much like you, and now that I do…it's unbelievable. I can't imagine my life without someone calling me dad or Uncle Killian. I know you feel the same, even if you try to hide behind your tough girl exterior." He smirks.

"Well…it's ok I suppose." He just rolls his eyes and pokes me in the side. "Ok," I laugh, "the love is good. I think when everyone grows up and leaves I may have a nervous breakdown."

"That could be _interesting,_ to say the least, to watch. You do know Henry will be leaving in less than two years." He is such an antagonizer.

"Don't make me hit you." We're about five minutes away from my parents' house now. Around the corner and up the street lies a beautiful blue ranch style house. It's so cute it practically screams Prince Charming and Snow White lives here! Killian just smiles and swings our hands as we walk.

"Is that what you were thinking?" I ask him.

"Pardon?" he looks confused.

"You asked if I was thinking about our meeting with Gold, I wasn't, but were you?"

"It was occupying my mind, amongst other things." I look at him, waiting for him to continue. Getting my hint he goes on. "I suppose I find it baffling that such a little girl can wield that much power. As much as I still loathe her father, I adore Rosie, and I don't want to see her hurt by her magic."

"I get that. I think that with Belle as a mother, that girl has a good chance of getting out of that house with a sound mind and good morals. I hope I didn't insult Belle too much. I didn't mean to suggest they were bad parents, well at least not her."

"Please, this is Belle we are talking about." He shakes his head. "A woman who married the man who held her prisoner, who goes shopping and has lunch with a woman who put her in a loony bin for twenty eight years, and forgave me for shooting her. I don't think she will hold a grudge against _you_."

"Thanks, I feel so much better."

"Sarcasm is not appreciated."

"Did Neal seem odd today to you?" I ask. It's been bugging me all morning.

"I would say there is good cause for him to act peculiar, it's not every day a person's dead mother shows up on your doorstep. I'm sorry that we didn't think to call him. I got the sense he is feeling neglected in our thoughts. He has always felt like Milah neglected him, especially to be with me. Now, with all that has happen…well that fear of his is only being reinforced. I know he blames me, for…well everything." He looks angry and sad at once. Are things ever going to be the same again?

I think about what he said, and it makes sense. Neal's mother has always been a topic of distress for him. I know it was the same with my parents when I thought they had abandoned me for no good reason. We walk a ways more without speaking. "What do you think of asking my mom to help us?"

"Back to the serious business then?"

"Someone has to direct the conversation."

"Let me take a crack at it. I think the show Buffy was an excellent display of a young woman's life from childhood to adulthood using actual demons as metaphors to the inner demons we face in our everyday lives, what say you?" My husband is insane.

"You are insane."

"So you didn't think it was a good show." He looks at me with curiosity. Now he is just stalling. My parents' house is almost right in front of us. I raise my eyebrow at him, silently pleading him to take this serious. Whenever he is threatened to face something emotionally distressing, he hides behind his humor and cockiness. He ignores me until we are at the door. Finally he faces me and grabs my wrist as I raise my hand to knock on the door. "Emma, I know that you know this business with Milah is hard for me. I want what is best for us, but I also want to make Mialh happy, after what she has been through. These things may seem to contradict each other, but I can't help feeling what I feel. I get that I am probably not the best person to help her right now, but if someone can make her feel better in this world, it's your mom. She's kind, forgiving, and cares for people unconditionally, things she has passed on to her children." Sometimes he really does know just what to say to make my chest feel tight with love. I am convinced there is no better man than him. Stupid pirate.

"Can I have my hand back?" He releases my wrist and I brush his hair to the side, giving him a smile, before I knock on the door. It opens up a few seconds later, revealing a small boy. "Hello, Jimmy. Is mom around?"

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**ok i realize i end a lot of chapters with an opening and/or closing of a door, whatever!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up, but to be honest, i've been doing nothing but watching Lost. it is the best show ever and i miss it. if you love Once, do your self a favor and rent all 6 seasons. as a plus it has characters from once such as belle, the giant, king george, and the new jafar. so basically if you have been on Lost, you have sold your soul to Adam and Eddie. anyway once school starts up in a few weeks, updates will be fewer and far between but i will do my best. so i hope you enjoy this chapter.**

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So far today has been a complete disaster. When I woke up and found my old clothes in a trunk under the bed, I had such high hopes. Sure, yesterday had seemed like hell, three hundred years had slipped through my fingers in a blink of an eye and the man I loved was with someone else, but how bad can a day be when you find yourself in the place you love most in the world and wearing your old clothes? Bad. When I went to bed, everything about the ship seemed the same, but in the morning things became clearer as the sun shone through the window. It was little things; the sheets were different, they smelled different, there were feminine clothes around that certainly never belonged to me. When I went to grab some food, I noticed children's toys scattered about, wooden swords and what appeared to be small carriage like objects. It was obvious that a family spent time here. _My life has been stolen from me._ Ironic, considering I am a pirate and do a considerable amount of stealing myself. Thinking along such lines had my appetite vanishing rather quickly. So, instead of lingering on the ship, I decided to do what I probably should have done much earlier; look for my son. Overall, it was not that complicated to find him. All I had to do was ask some of the local people where I could locate him, and they obliged easily enough. However, I did get many curious stares. Odd, these people, if I understand correctly, are all from our world and should not be confused by my manner of dressing. If anything they should find the clothes they are wearing to be odd. But the thoughts of strangers were not the most important thoughts in my mind. How would it be to see my son again? So much time had passed, more than should be humanly possible, and in a few minutes I would be reunited with him again. Would he resent me for leaving him? How can I make him understand that I had to leave, because if I didn't I would have died inside and been of no use to him anyway? Maybe he wouldn't even care anymore, forgotten all about me in his long years. I wish I would have taken him with me when I left. Killian would have understood. _Do I even know who Killian is?_ How could he be with someone else? The questions are swimming, swimming in my head making me crazy, making me more question than human. But that's not possible. Just when I think I can't take anymore, I see the house where my son lives. Wow. This is nothing I could have given him. The home is huge and white, and there are flowers and trees with fruit on them everywhere. He didn't need me, probably still doesn't. Why did I come back at all? Nobody needs me. But I am here, and I wanted to see my son, so I knock on the door and it is answered by a dark haired woman and a small child, whom I frighten. I am not here for a minute and I am frightening people. Nothing goes as it should. Bae fires questions at me, only adding to the ones already in my head, not enough room for all these questions. I want to answer them, be all there for him, but my head is too full and I feel myself becoming distant. He looks so much older, thankfully nothing like his father. It's too much. I do my best, but I leave after a few minutes. My son is grown, with two boys and is happy and he didn't need me for any of that. What is my purpose? It used to be so clear. Have adventure, live, love Killian. When everything was confused, when I missed Bae the most, there was Killian. Now where do I go? My feet are moving me to the green house without me telling them to. At least something is working on its own. When I am standing in front of his house again, I can't help but feel like I am standing at my own grave. _I am not going to give up._ I vowed to get him back last night and I will keep that vow. If only I could talk to him, things would be better. I go to the back of the house. It's disgusting how cute everything looks. Where is the pirate I knew? Certainly not living in this place. We used to laugh about people who settled down in one place. I am considering breaking in to talk to him, and avoid the wife( funny he used to sneak around with me to avoid the husband) when the door in the back opens. It is the young man from last night, the one who looks like Bae.

"Hey Milah. Want to come inside?" he shouts out. Why would he ask such a thing? He is old enough that I assume they have told him about mine and Killian's past. Why invite me into the house of his mother and Killian's? Unless he doesn't see Killian as a father and wants his mother to be back with my son. But then why would he call Killian dad last night? Again the questions buzz in my head, leaving me just standing there looking confused. I used to be so fast and clever.

"I meant come inside today, not sometime next week." He crosses his arms. Perhaps he has inherited part of me without knowing it.

"Why?" I finally ask a question out loud. The noise in my head quiets a bit.

"Well," he starts and pauses to think, "My mom isn't home right now and I know Killian would want to talk to you." Easier than breaking into this house. I nod, and move to enter the house again for the second time. He shuts the door behind me and leads me through a room with odd objects and cooking utensils into the room I was in last night. This time I sit on a chair. The boy stands in between the rooms and looks at me. I wonder what he sees. When I look at him I see Bae and it hurts my chest. "My name is Henry, I'm not sure if you knew that."

"You know my name," he smiles and nods. After an awkward pause I ask, "Where is Killian?"

"Are you hungry? You probably are since you haven't eaten in centuries. You don't eat brains do you? Because although _awesome_, it would be inconvenient since they don't sell those at Target. I could get you liver, they sell that." Perhaps insanity is also inherited. "You know what? I'll be right back, stay put." And then he walks back into the room we came from. Such an odd child, but I obey and stay seated. I believe I hate this house, it's not as nice as my son's but it is still nicer than any house I have ever lived in. What on Earth could cause Killian to live here? And where is he anyway? A couple of minutes later, Henry comes back into the room carrying a plate with a brown square looking pastry on it.

"These are my favorite, and my dad, Bae, likes them too, so I would say it stands to reason you'll like it also." And he hands me the plate. I consider setting it down on the table, but I am suddenly starving and realize what he said earlier is true; I haven't eaten in centuries. I pick up the pastry and take a huge bite. Huge mistake. The outside wasn't that hot, but there is a hot goo like substance inside that burns my mouth. I cough and spit it out and look at Henry, who has taken a seat in front of me on the table, with tears in my eyes.

"What the bloody hell?!" I throw the plate down next to him.

"It's a poptart, chocolate graham cracker on the outside that protects a delicious gooey chocolate marshmallow filling inside. Should be eaten with caution though while hot." He just smiles at me. I am getting seriously annoyed at this point. This day has been too long and it's not even noon yet.

"Henry," I sigh exasperated, "Where is Killian? I would like to talk to him now." He takes my half eaten _poptart_ and takes a bite himself.

"Well, that's not possible."

"Why not." I get the feeling I am being messed with.

"So where did you go when you died? Was it like heaven? Or did you go to Hell for being a pirate? I doubt all pirates go there since Killian was one and he's a cool guy. Or was it like nothing at all, like just waking up all of a sudden?" Apparently I am not the only person with questions filling their head to the brim. If this is how I am acting, I understand everyone's annoyance.

"If you get Killian for me I can answer your questions." I try to reason with him.

"He's not home right now." Again with the smile.

I look at him in disbelieve, "But you said he wanted to talk to me."

"I'm sure he does. But he's not home right now, he's out with my mom." I've been tricked, but why?

"Why?" I ask.

"Why what?"

"Why did you ask me to come in this house if he is not home." I am getting angry again, not murderously angry this time, but angry. I feel eyes on the back of my head. I turn around but there is nothing there. Just more craziness from the dead woman.

"I asked you in here," he says loudly grabbing my attention again, "because I wanted us to just talk. I had a lot of questions, well I always have a lot of question, but it's not everyday someone comes back from the dead. Besides, you're my grandma, shouldn't we bond?" he asks so sweetly. He is hiding something. This is a waste of my time. If he isn't going to help me, then I have other places to be, or at least explore.

"Perhaps another time Henry, but I can't right now."

"Ok, sit down and as doctor Phil says let's get real. You want to be with Killian right?" This is getting somewhere. I nod and sit down again. "You think it would be best for everyone if that were to happen don't you? That's never going to happen." My heart hurts. He can't know that, he is just a boy. That is not a premonition. "My dad, Killian, loves my mom and he would never leave her for some old flame. What they have is true love and it would be better for you if you got over him and moved on."

"You are just a child." I choke out. He knows nothing.

"Yeah, I'm the child of a savior, grandchild of the King and Queen and Rumplestiltskin, was raised by the Evil Queen and survived Neverland, so I think I have some credibility when I talk about true love and magic."

I stand up more quickly than before and tower over him. "Killian may love your mother, but his heart will always belong to me, just like mine belongs to him. We are going to be together, so you should accept that fact."

"How is that going to happen, hmm?" He stands up and faces me. We are the same height. "You just going to talk to him and he's going to leave his wife of seven years and three children?" Shut up shut up shut up.

"I'm leaving now." I head towards the door, ready to leave this house and start on the path to Killian. The boy makes a good point, I'm not sure how to get him back, but I know I can come up with a plan. The old me could do it. I just have to find her under all the questions and uncertainties.

"Whatever you do," he says as I get closer to the door, "I am going to be there to stop you. This town is going to stop you, so just let it go."

I think about Ben, and the rest of the crew who must live in this town. I doubt the boy knows of them or their loyalty to me. I am sure Killian would try to shield his family from his old self, make them believe he is fit for this new life. I smile and turn to him as I open the door. "I suppose you wouldn't be my grandson if you didn't fight for the people you love. Thank you for the breakfast. Good bye Henry, I'll see you around."

"Count on it grandma."


	14. Chapter 14

**i present you with a new chapter, i don't know when the next one will be but i'll try to be quick about it. start to expect a new chapter maybe once a week, i think that's how its going to go from now on. i hope you enjoy this one.**

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Awful, just awful.

"Something wrong mommy?" Hmm? I look down and see my four year old son looking up at me. I had completely forgotten what it was I was supposed to be doing.

"No, honey, nothing's wrong. The toaster just works better if it is plugged in." I am so out of it. Jimmy just laughs though and scampers to the table to get the peanut butter for his toast. Sighing, I plug the toaster in and put in two slices of bread and push them down. My head is so out there I can't even focus on making my son toast. But so much is going on! _How can Milah be back?_ Poor woman, she must be so confused and upset to be brought back at Rumplestiltskin's house of all places. I wish Emma would call again to let me know how everything is going. My poor baby. If my nerves are on edge, I wonder how hers and Killian's must be. I hate how they have been through so much to be happy and now it is threatened with this. Charming always says that you would never know if it is true love unless it is tested, but for God's sake, how many tests must we all take until we can finally have our happy endings? Thinking of Charming, I hope he doesn't do anything rash today. He was all ready to go to Emma's house last night to check on her and threaten Killian. I assured him they needed time to work things out, and that his barging in wouldn't do any good. He just mumbled and sat with Jimmy all night looking at the phone and watching reruns of _Lost._

Pop.

"Can I put the peanut butter on mommy?" Jimmy is bouncing up and down trying to be a big boy. He is so much like Charming, acting all bold and brave, that it can make me smile even when I am most upset. I nod my head and hand him the plate of toast, when I hear voices coming from the porch.

"Honey, look out the window. Who's out there?" he runs to the living room and pulls back the curtain.

"It's Emma and Captain Illy!" he shouts excited. I love how he can't pronounce Killian's name. Jimmy has spent so many hours on Killian's lap as he tries to explain the right way to say his name. I think he just calls Killian Illy to make Charming smile, who loves an irritated son-in-law.

I am happy that they are both here to talk. It's a shame that Charming is at the station. A minute later there is a knock at the door. "Do you want to answer that?" He loves answering the door. I fix his toast up as I hear him open the door.

" Hello Jimmy. Is mom around?"

"She's in the kitchen. We're making toast!" He leads them to where I am. They look tired, but oddly happy. I hand Jimmy his plate and he takes it around the counter, jumps onto his chair, and starts to eat. Emma comes around to give me a hug and I see Killian try to take a bite of one of Jimmy's pieces of toast. He is always eating from other people's plates, if he doesn't stop that one of his children will pick that habit up. Jimmy starts to protest, but Killian whispers something into his ear and then he just smiles and hands Killian the piece.

"How are you sweetie?" I pull away from Emma and brush her hair back. She leans back too and takes a seat at the counter as well.

"As good as a person can be waking up early on a Saturday to visit Rumplestiltskin."

"You went to his house?" I ask.

"Yes we did, lovely man, such a good host." Killian answers from inside the fridge. When did he get there? He pulls his head out and is holding a carton of cranberry juice. "Is this the Prince's?" I nod, and roll my eyes as he takes a huge drink from the carton and puts it back in. No doubt leaving back wash. He smiles big at me.

"Did you get any answers about, _you know?_" looking at Jimmy, who is finishing his breakfast.

"Not a ton." Emma answers looking at Killian, who has come around to sit down next to her, with the annoyance one has for a young child. "We did learn that it was actually Rosie who brought her back."

"Rosie!" I say. I can't believe it. "How could she do that?" Would Rumplestiltskin put the blame on his daughter to save himself?

"The lass has some serious power. She wanted to bring back something that was lost, and Milah was lost it appears."

"Rosie found someone?" Jimmy asks, wanting to be part of the conversation.

"That's what she says." Emma answers him. She looks back to me. "That's about all we found out. We don't know if this is permanent, what damage it could have done to her, or what the consequences might be." I have an idea about those consequences. It's just not Rosie who will pay it.

"Are you two ok?" I'm worried about them. Although they look fairly fine now, I can't help but have a bad feeling.

"We're doing fine. Confused of course and concerned. Neal is pretty upset."

"You saw Neal today?" I like Neal as much as Charming likes Killian, which is civil most of the time but there is still an undercurrent of resentment that will never go away.

Killian takes Jimmy's now empty plate and takes it over to the sink with Jimmy hot on his heels trying to tell him about what he was going to do today. "He came over to our house early this morning, he came with us to the dark one's home."

"It sounds like we still don't know much about what is going on. Your father hates not knowing what is going on."

"Runs in the family, believe me." Emma mumbles. "We did come to some sort of agreement."

"Agreement?" What could they be agreeing about?

Killian picks up Jimmy to keep him quiet. "It appears everyone agrees that you would be the best person to integrate Milah into our society."

_What?_

"What?"

"We think, mom, that you would the best choice to help Milah feel at home, comfortable. Less freaked out. She was acting odd at our house, and Neal said she was spacey at his. You have that calm kindness about you that could help her feel safe."

"Also, out of all of us, you've never been in love with her, hated by her, abandoned by her, or killed her." I look from Killian to Emma. I also understand that if I were to help Milah, then I would be able to keep an eye on her and keep her away from Killian. I would say that this fact was not lost on my daughter, especially by the look on her face.

"What would I do?" I really do want to help her. It's not her fault that she was killed and brought back to a completely different world, where the man she loved was with someone else. I can't imagine how I would feel if that happened to me. She is probably not a bad person, just scared. For some reason I still have a bad feeling. Killian hands Jimmy over to me, who then starts to squirm so I set him down. He runs off to his room, probably to get something to show to Killian.

"You could go with her to get new clothes, she has been wearing her old stuff from the ship." He says. I raise my eyebrows at him.

"You kept her old stuff?"

He crosses his arms in defense. "I'm not sure that's really the point here."

"It's not. You could also show her around town. Explain how things work in this world. Our rules and some basic technology, like plumbing." I think about what they have just requested. I could do this. I would be helping Milah and Emma.

"This is what you want?" I ask Emma.

She shrugs. "Yeah, I think it would be the best for everyone involved. If you want to talk to dad about it…"

"No, I'm sure he'll have something to say about it, but you're right. I think this is what would be best."

Emma comes over to hug me again. I will always be grateful to have my little girl back, even if she isn't so little anymore. "Thank you."

Killian comes over to us and puts his hand on my shoulder. "Yes, thanks mom. This will be good."

Jimmy comes back into the room, breaking up our little moment. He has a map he drew the other day in his hand to show his brother-in-law. This time it's Emma who picks him up.

"So," I look at both of them, wanting to get the obvious out of the way, "What does Milah look like?"


	15. Chapter 15

**Yay, it didn't take me a week to get a new chapter up. feeling pretty accomplished. plus i like this chapter, moving the story along. slowly, but its moving. i hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

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"Will you be over later, Neal?" Belle asks me, as I stand up to leave. She is cleaning up the plates of food and glasses from the little impromptu breakfast we had after Emma and Hook left.

"Yeah, probably. I have to take the boys out shopping today for their costumes and then pick up Henry for the rest of the weekend. It ok that I drop the boys off while I do that?"

My dad just nods, he's been quiet for a while now, and Belle looks super excited. I have no idea what she sees in my dad. She is beautiful, kind, energetic and he is as dry as old toast. Sure, I love him but it's not like he's some great catch. But love is a tricky thing and there are no hard and fast rules. And what they have is definitely love, as odd as it is.

"That would be wonderful. I have to be at the library for a couple of hours today, but I'm sure the boys will find some way to entertain themselves with grandpa won't they?"

"Perhaps I will put on a magic show for them, or teach them a spell." My dad smiles at Belle, coming back into the conversation.

I glare at him. "How can you say something like that after what just happened yesterday? Don't you get it all ready? Magic is bad. It ruins people's lives. I don't want you teaching my kids any of it." Can he really be so stupid? Doesn't he know how magic has only ever ruined my life!?

"As confusing as these times are, I thought you would at least be happy that your mother is back?" He says innocently. I think he really _is_ that stupid.

"She came back wrong. But what else would you expect of magic?" Belle stops moving around and looks at me concerned. She is always so concerned for everyone else.

"Neal, we told you it was an accident. And your mother did not come back wrong, she's just disoriented is all. She will get better." She tries to soothe me. It doesn't work.

"You know what?" I ask as I open the door about to leave, "You two might think that, Hook might think that, hell maybe Emma thinks that, though I doubt it, but I can tell you that person who looks like Milah, it isn't her. I don't know if that is because she's been dead for centuries, or because her heart was ripped out, but none of this would have happened if it wasn't for magic. So if you use that stuff at all near my children, I'll make sure you never see them again." And with that I exit his house. Sometimes he pisses me off so much. I can hear the two of them arguing softly inside so I head to my car before one of them can come outside and try to talk to me. I am not in the mood right now. I get in my car, blue 2010 mustang not the most child friendly, and decide I'm too wound up to go home yet. I cruise around a bit before I decided to go to the Rusty Anchor. It's a dive that has amazing crepes, probably because they put brandy in them. Anyway, Ben owns the place. He was the cook on the _Jolly Roger_ and he was a good friend while I was there. The place is by the docks, so the parking sucks and I have to go close to the back. When I get out of my car all I can think about is crepes, I'm trying to repress this morning, but then I hear voices. Normally I would just ignore it and move on, I don't care about what people do behind buildings, but I recognize the voice of Ben. Thankfully there is a dumpster separating me from him, so eavesdropping is possible. I move slightly around the dumpster to see who Ben is talking to. Standing next to him is Joss, a member of Hook's old crew that got drunk at his wedding, Mr. Smee, who is no longer a literal rat, and surprise surprise my mom. Why would she want to spend any time with me or my family when she could spend it in an alley with these fine gentlemen? If I wasn't so sickly curious, I would have left in disgust. But…

"So this is all that could come?" My mom asks, looking around at the group. I can tell this was not the turn out she wanted. How did she even get in contact with these guys anyway? And why?

"Well ma'am," Mr. Smee chokes out, maybe he isn't used to her not being dead, "It was kind of short notice, and the men do have jobs they can't just leave."

"Jobs, I forgot you have all settled down." She rolls her eyes. What a bitch.

"What would have had us do? Sit around and wish for the glory days back while we get kicked out of our apartments? This is our world now and we have to live in it." Joss throws back at her.

She sighs, "I understand that, it's just hard to except."

"You want to talk about hard to except? We saw you die!"

"Yes, this comes as a shock to everyone. Especially me!" They smile at each other for a moment at this. I remember Joss telling me before I left that he and my mom were good friends. It's nice to see them catching up. Eye roll.

"Speaking of jobs…what does the captain do these days?" she asks sweetly. Ben looks uncomfortable. I know none of the old crew were happy about Killian leaving them to be with Emma when he got here, but Ben was the most understanding of it.

Joss answers for her. "He does odd jobs here and there. Mostly he finds lost objects for people, or lost people for people. He comes by the docks every so often to take care of the _Roger_. Mostly he stays home with his kids while his wife works as the sheriff." He sniffs.

"His wife is a sheriff?" my mom asks in disbelief. I wonder what she would think of me being a computer specialist. Probably not much.

"Yes, when she was pregnant, he would step in as deputy and her father would be sheriff. They never work together because when they did…" Mr. Smee trails off looking embarrassed.

"They would..?" she prompts.

"Not get much work done," he finishes looking at the ground. She just stares at them while they try to look elsewhere.

"I get it, they're in love." she crosses her arms. "And you are happy for them."

"Please, you are much better for the captain. He thinks he's some good guy now, protecting the people when he's just lying to himself." Joss huffs. I don't like that guy. Sure, I'm not crazy about Emma and Hook together, but I can admit that she is good for him. He doesn't steal and kill people when he is with her at least.

"I think so too. I get that I was…gone, and he was lonely, but that's over now."

"What do you plan to do ma'am?" Ben asks looking shifty. I wonder what he thinks about this. Will he tell Hook?

"Do you know how he spends most of his days?" she asks disregarding his question.

They shrug. "He gets his kids to school, goes to work, cleans his house, I don't know?" Joss says.

"He visits his boat every other day around three." Mr. Smee adds.

"He likes to come here, to my place, with his father-in-law after work around five." Ben reluctantly says.

"Will he come here tonight?"

"I don't know. Maybe. I imagine things are pretty hectic right now."

She pauses for a minute, thinking something through. I've seen Henry do that a million times, when he's scheming something.

"Well I will be around then, if he comes send him out this way, alone."

"I don't know Milah," Ben pleads, "Maybe you should think about taking care of yourself first. The Captain is married with kids. He is happy. It might be best to leave it alone."

"I am taking care of myself." She retorts. She looks more like her old self around these men. Why them?

"How can you say the Captain is happy? You think that princess doesn't have him wiped?" Joss sneers. I hate him thinking of Emma that way. It takes a lot of strength not to come out from behind this dumpster and punch him. I could go for a good beat down.

"I doubt that," Ben gets defensive, "plus like you said, he is married to a princess. Her parents are the King and Queen. Maybe it would be safest to let this go. You think they're going to be happy about their baby girl being hurt?"

"Are you scared Ben?" Mr. Smee questions.

"Of the most powerful people in this town? I don't know. What do you think?"

"Chicken." Joss says like one of my sons.

"I'm sorry, last time I checked I had a business to protect instead of just some dump car wash."

"Men, stop it! What has happened?" My mom says super frustrated. "You used to be so close." She looks close to tears. This is what gets her upset! Not the fact that she doesn't know her own grandchildren. I have got to get out of here.

"I told you last night Milah, things are different here."

"Does that mean you won't do me this favor Ben?" God how pathetic.

Ben looks so confused, Joss is looking pissed off, and Mr. Smee is just looking like his normal weasely self. Finally Ben gives her a response. "I'll think about it. I don't want to do it, but you're my friend and I want to help you. I'm just not sure this will be a help."

"It will be a help Ben. I just need to talk to him alone." She says with a new excitement in her eyes.

"If he tells you it's over, and he is happy with his family, I want you to leave it alone. Ok?"

"Thank you for concern Ben, but I know what I am doing. Thank you all, and I hope we can see each other again soon." I hear them go on for a bit more, but I am moving away and back into my car.

My mom is going to try to put the moves on Hook, the step-dad to my kid. I hate my family. I don't know what to do. If I tell Emma, her head might explode, and then she will probably kill my mom or at least arrest her. All with the exploded head. The same if I tell her dad. Her mom doesn't really like me all that much. It's hard not to be liked by Snow White, the person who likes everyone. I'm not in the mood to talk to my dad right now. Regina will probably just laugh, and then get concerned Henry is being corrupted by all of this. There is no way I'm having this conversation with Hook himself. I don't need to look at him being all conflicted. The only person that leaves is Henry. Is it wrong to get a kid involved in all of this? I know he isn't a little boy anymore, but he's not exactly a man either. He does have that operation Zombie thing that he told me about last night over the phone going on for him though. And he is staying at my house this weekend. Oh damn it all. What type of world do we live in when a man can't confide in his son about his grandmother making a move on one of his father figures? That's it, I'm picking up the kid early today.


	16. Chapter 16

**So last chapter before school, i will still post but it will be less. I would never say i don't like a chapter, but i feel like this one is just a set up for the next couple of chapters. My next one makes me laugh because charming is finally going to get a chapter. anyway, henry is still my favorite and i hope you enjoy this chapter.**

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I never cared for being called the "kid". Even though Milah is bat shit crazy and trying to break up my parent's disgustingly happy marriage, I like her. She treated me like someone my age. I'm still going to bring her down and laugh while doing it, but I have a new view on this woman. If she ever gets her stuff together maybe we could act like an actual grandma and grandson. But that is wishful thinking for the future, right now the mission is what matters. So, still thinking about my brief encounter with Milah, I round the munchkins up.

"You guys can come out now." I call over toward the stairs. I hear three sets of tiny feet coming down the steps and then they are jumping onto the couch to sit before me. I'm not sure how much of the conversation they understood, but they look rather intense for their ages. " So what do you think?"

"So is she our grandma?" Renee asks confused. Our family connections are always a hard thing to grasp for someone her age. I'm still not sure Davey and Cecily completely get it.

"No, you only have one grandma, mom's mom. That woman was my grandma because she is Uncle Neal's mom. Neal is my biological father and Killian, the crazy pirate captain who lives here, is yours, remember?" She sits there with a quizzical look on her face, which looks so much like my mom's, while she tries to wrap her mind around this concept. In her head I am her brother and that is that, there are no halves.

Cecily, who has had this explained to her a million times, jumps right in with what's on her mind. "She dressed funny. Does she want to marry daddy?"

I shrug, not really wanting to explain what exactly she wants from our dad. Does she really think she has a chance with him?

"Dad is married to mom, though. He can't marry her!" Davey states the obvious.

"That is where we come in, remember what we talked about earlier in the kitchen? We are going to keep them apart."

"Doesn't she know that mommy and daddy are married?" Renee rejoins the conversation, family ties put on the back burner for the moment.

"She knows." I answer. I think I hear footsteps coming up the steps outside.

Renee pauses for a moment at my answer, and then just states, "Rude." I hear keys being put into the door. I guess they're back.

"Ok, guys good work today. Remember don't tell anybody about what we're doing." Of course at the moment we're not doing much, but they think it's all very exciting if it's just between us. "It's going to be our secret right now." They nod their heads and then my mom and dad, Killian, walk through the door into the living room. Sometimes calling two people mom and dad get confusing, I always have to have commas in my thoughts.

"How is everything going?" my mom asks as she hangs her coat up.

"Good." I answer. "You guys were gone pretty long, everything ok? Can we expect a zombie apocalypse any time soon, because I'm ready." My mom shakes her head and rolls her eyes as she separates Cecily and Davey who have begun arguing over what game to play.

Dad chuckles and picks up Renee who has run away from the conflict. " That is how you know you are a teenage boy, always ready for a zombie apocalypse but never ready for tomorrows math test."

Mom puts the tv on to distract the twins. One second of _Everybody Loves Raymond_ reruns and everything is solved. "Apparently it's just the one woman brought back from the grave. And it was Rosie who did the bringing back."

Is she kidding? My little aunt brought someone back to life? "Are you sure? Isn't that a little beyond her?"

"It was said that her magic is stronger because she was born here and she is the dark one's daughter, or something along those lines." Dad tries to explain. He is sitting on the couch now next to all three kids watching tv. "Why is there a half-eaten pop-tart on the table?"

Ignoring that I ask my mom, "Well how did she do it? Could she do it again? Is there going to be some mega price to pay for doing something like that?"

Mom sits in the arm chair looking tired. Normally our Saturdays are more fun and relaxed because she doesn't work at the station and dad just ignores whatever work he does have, when you have a chest of gold doing odd jobs aren't that big of a concern. "I don't know kid, everyone was pretty unsure of what is going on and what it all means."

"Then what took you guys so long?" I huff, upset about being called kid. Will it ever end?

"We went over to your _charming_ grandparents' house to ask if Snow would show Milah the ropes of this world. Dressing, appliances, stuff like that." Dad says. He looks uncomfortable with the idea. I wonder if he would rather be the one to help her like that. I hope he doesn't feel indebted to her, that would make my job that much harder.

"What did she say?"

"She said yes." I raise my eyebrow at him. "I know this situation seems…"

"Hilarious!" I interrupt him unable to keep a smile off my face. "I can just picture grams and her hitting the stores. Her acting all confused and grams being her sweet self. Oh my god, it would be like a _Pretty Woman_ montage, them trying on all new clothes." Me and my mom both laugh at the images in our heads. I would pay to see that, I bet Milah will act all pissed off at the suggestion. If this does happen though, it could be good for the operation. I know grams would do anything to keep Milah away from my dad if it meant mom's happiness. She could work on her from the inside. Our laughter is cut short by the door bell ringing. We all just look at it. Doors have not been our friends lately. My dad gets up to answer it, and who should be at the other side? My other dad! Again…today.

My mom throws her head back in exhaustion. "Neal what are you doing here?"

"I'm supposed to pick up Henry, remember?" He moves past Killian. When they are in a room together, they get called by their first names in my head. Same goes for Emma and Regina.

"Not until five," Killian scowls at the back of his head.

"Yeah, but I have to take the boys costume shopping and I thought Henry could help them out. That way I could also have lunch with all my boys. How about it bud? You want to come?" In my mind being called bud is just a tiny step up from being called kid. I'm going to have to sit these people down at one point and have a talk with them.

"Sure, is that ok with you guys?" I ask my mom and Killian. They nod their heads, not looking that happy to my enjoyment, and I head up to my room to get my backpack. When I get back it looks like Davey and Neal are talking about the last Patriot's game. "Ok, I'm good to go." I hug everyone and tell them I'll see them soon. In this small town, I'll probably see them later tonight. Having separated parents is made easier by living in Storybrooke. I see my dad is driving the Mustang today, my mom, Regina, loves this car but thinks it's unsafe for us "kids". That's why in their garage is also a CR-V. As we are driving to their house, my home, I don't know anymore! Anyway, as we're driving my dad and I are making small talk, nothing important. When we get in the driveway, though, he turns to me with a serious expression.

"Henry, what exactly is going on with your Operation Zombie?" Odd question. He normally disapproves of my operations, since my last big one involved Killian and my mom getting married. How easily he forgets that I also set him up with my mom, Regina.

I answer him anyway, as truthful as possible. "Right now not much. I'm just collecting information about your mom. That and if I see her anywhere near Killian I'm going to intervene, or have one of the munchkins do that. Why?"

"Because I think I might have some information you could use." I perk up at that, and look at him expectantly. "Today I saw Milah talking to some of the old crew of the _Jolly Roger_. She wanted to know about Killian." He looks upset about that. I know he has resentment towards my other dad, and this is hard for him. I put my arm around him. _It seems like I'm not the only one gathering information._ My dad smiles at me and continues. "She also wants it to be set up for her and him to meet outside of the Rusty Anchor, when he goes with your grandpa, to talk." Sneaky woman. She will be a worthy foe.

"How did you find out about this?"

"I hid behind a dumpster." I love this family. They just rock.

"Well this is good. We can be one step ahead of her."

"What are we going to do, hang around him whenever he wants to go there? That won't be suspicious," he says sarcastically. And they wonder where I get my attitude from.

"Well we obviously have to tell gramps. He could help. As much as he says he doesn't like

Killian, I know he would help. You don't go out with someone almost every night and not like them." With this new information, a plan is forming in my head (an actual plan!), and I can see how my grandma and grandpa can play a role in it.

He just stares out the window thinking. "You know that she will find a way to talk to him, it's going to happen." Sadness is rolling off him in waves. I know what it's like to feel unwanted.

"She wants to talk to you too dad. She loves you. She just can't see what she has in front of her. She seems like one of those people who are always reaching for what they can't have, what they think will make them happy."

He looks back at me. "You're smart, you know?"

"Tell that to my history teacher." I smile. "Why don't we get the costumes, go to lunch, drop the brothers back off and head over to the station to talk to gramps?" I suggest. He nods and we get out to go to the house.

"Like I said before, even if we do tell David, she is still going to talk to Killian."

"I know." I open up the door and step in. The boys are running around in the house coming towards us, and my mom is in her home office working. "But when she does, I want it to be on our terms, not hers." I say as serious as a person who is being jumped by two little boys.


	17. Chapter 17

**Why can't season 2 of Once be on netflix. that would make my life so much better. but if it was on netflix this chapter would never had been finished and that would be sad because i thought it was fun to write. i hope you all enjoy it**

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_Oh I wish I was an Oscar Meyer wiener, that is what I truly want to be. Because if I was an Oscar Meyer Wiener, then everybody would love me!_ I drum the song on my desk with a pencil. I AM SO BORED! How come no giants ever attack us anymore? I could even go for an ogre ambush. Really anything would be more exciting than sitting at my desk in the police station. Oh the life of a deputy. I wonder what Snow is up to today. I look at the clock on the wall behind me, three thirty. Only an hour and a half more until I can meet up with my jack ass son-in-law at the Rusty Anchor, then call it a day and head home to my wife and son. _I wonder how Killian is doing._ Ugh, I hate the fact that I actually care about how he is doing. Stupid pirate. But my baby girl loves him, and over the years he has grown on me, but it's not like we're best friends or anything. It sucks that he has to go through the pain Milah causes with her arrival, but my main concern is how this is going to affect Emma. If she is hurt at all by these current events, either because of Milah or Killian, I will go insane father on everyone and thing. I might even have Killian cursed to a life time of watching only MTv, that's how far I would go to get revenge on anyone hurting my girl. When I heard what had happened last night, Snow had to calm me down and insist I did not go over to Emma's house. She said Killian would never do anything to hurt Emma, and he would stand by his family no matter what. A good part of me know that this is the truth, but the part of me that always sees Emma as my baby girl can't take a chance that something bad could happen to her. I smothered that part down, listened to Snow who is always right, and played with my son. It was just a coincidence that the phone was always near me.

_Three forty_. I hit my head on the desk. I'm a King, what the hell did I do to get here? And why has no one gotten in contact with me. If only the spider solitaire app on my phone wasn't frozen. Must Emma do all the paper work? Just when I'm thinking about stabbing my hand with a pencil just for an excuse to go to the hospital, I hear someone come through the door. Good, I don't think Snow would be too happy about a bandaged hand, or a hospital bill. I miss being King.

"Hey Gramps, what up?" Henry chirps as he enters the room. He looks like he's in good spirits as he runs and jumps onto Emma's rolling chair, sliding a good five feet backwards into the wall. Henry is always in good spirits though; he's a tough kid to bring down. His father, on the other hand, who enters behind him looks like he could use a day at Disney World.

"Not much, thinking about mutilation to pass the time. What have you been up to?"

Neal looks at me with a confused look and sits down in the chair across from me, but Henry just ignores that bit and goes right into talking. " Well I babysat the three little musketeers, got yelled at by my mom, Regina, for swearing in front of Michael and Ryan, took said children shopping for their Halloween costumes, and thought of a way to get Milah to back off of Killian. Hopefully."

I think about what he said for a moment, both of them looking at me and then said with the utmost intelligence, "Huh?"

"This morning everyone went to Grandpa's to find out what was going on, leaving me with Cecily, Davey, and Renee, and apparently Rosie was the one who brought Milah back. Accidently of course. Then Neal overheard Milah and some guys discussing a way to get her back with Killian. They were going to get her alone with him when you guys go to the Rusty Anchor, and she was going to seduce him or something I guess. That made Neal come over and get me early because I have been working on a way to keep her away from Killian. I came up with an idea, but I need your help," he finishes in a big breathe.

"How did Rosie bring her back?" I ask exasperated, working my way from the beginning of his rant.

"She has some special magic here, or something. She did a spell to bring a ring back but got my mother instead." Neal answers.

"A ring?"

Neal just shrugged his shoulders as if to say 'girls'.

"How did you find out she was planning to get Killian back?"

"Other than the fact she went to his house immediately after she was brought back, and is now staying on his ship?"

"I meant about her Rusty Anchor plan." I rephrase, upset that one of my favorite places is trying to be used as a meeting point to ruin my daughter's happy marriage. The cruelness of it all. And did he say that she was staying on the ship? What's that all about? Before I can ask he starts talking.

"I went there after my dad's and she was in the alley talking to some old crew members. Which makes me think we should look out for anyone who used to work on the _Jolly Roger_ while she was there. They probably wouldn't mind helping her."

The look on his face says conspiring against his mother is hard for him. I feel bad for him, and good for me that I had a wonderful mother who loved me.

I smile reassuringly at him and then turn my attention back to Henry, who is also looking at his dad with a sad face. "So what is this plan of yours? And how am I involved?"

"Well the basic plan is that whenever anyone sees Milah coming near Killian, we interrupt them. That's what I've been telling the siblings. That part is also going to apply to you. It would help if you kept Killian away from the restaurant for at least a week. If she is still waiting for him, I thought of a way to convince her to stay away. At least for a little while."

I sit there waiting while he says nothing. "Well what is it!" I yell the suspense killing me. If I can help my baby girl with this problem I want to know how.

"Well Milah hasn't seen what mom and Killian's marriage is really like. Ever since she came it's been stressed. I think she needs to see the gooey love they have. So if by the end of the week she hasn't given up waiting for him, I figured you could tell her you would have them meet because you don't like him. You could take her to your house, because by the way Grandma is going to be spending time with her so she'll trust her. It's grandma, everyone trusts her. Anyway, you take her there, and show her the wedding video." He smiles huge.

"The wedding video? You think that will be enough?"

"Please that wedding was so beautiful, Dick Cheney would cry. If that doesn't tell her he's taken, then she has no soul."

My mind is on overload. It's not that I'm not a deep thinker, I just like solving my problems with a sword. It makes me proud that Henry can come up with solution to problems that are more diplomatic and can convince people to help him and lead them. He will make a good King. One thing, ok more than one, bothers me though. "How is Snow spending time with Milah?"

Neal takes this one. "We thought it best if your wife would be the one to get her used to this world. Take her shopping, stuff like that."

"Well it sounds good to me. But what if it doesn't work?" Skepticism leaks in my voice.

"One of my plans not working?! Well I guess if that happens we could just gag her and take her to Canada."

"Hmm, maybe we should think of a plan B." Neal suggests.

"You know what? You guys do that, I'm going to go home and look for that video." And then get Snow's opinion on all of this. Maybe I could threaten Rumplestiltskin to send her back, or have him make her fall in love with someone else. Perhaps Jefferson. It's time to go Dad on this situation.

"Can we stay at the station?" Henry asks excited.

"No, everyone out." I say and we head out to the cars. We say goodbye, and I head home. If anyone needs my help they can call the station and I'll pick it up from my cell phone. Emma and I should think about hiring someone else, maybe an intern. Snow and Jimmy aren't home so I wait around for them and watch tv but don't really pay attention to it. I pour myself some cranberry juice an hour later and Snow walks in the door. Good, because I only have a half hour to divert Killian away from the bar.

"Where were you? And where's Jimmy?" I ask.

"Today has been the longest day of my life. Labor was more fun than today. Jimmy is at Ruby's, and we need to talk. Plus you shouldn't drink that juice."

"Why not?"

" I'm pretty sure Killian spat in it earlier."

I feel sick because this was my second glass. Jack-ass.


	18. Chapter 18

**I really did not think i would have a new chapter this soon the way classes have been going. luckily i didn't feel like doing any homework tonight and there was nothing good on tv. just saying don't be surprised if i don't update in a while. i will do my best because i hate it when a story i am reading doesn't get finished. i want to say thanks for the people who review and i hope you all aren't dying inside with the lack of once. sept 29th cant come soon enough. anyway i hope you enjoy this chapter, and know that the next few will be more killian and emma oriented, i know we miss those two. **

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_Three Hours Earlier_

Walking down Main Street with my son's hand in mine, all I can think is _If I was a three hundred year old woman recently back from the dead and Hell bent on getting my ex-lover back, where would I be?_ My first thought was to check The _Jolly Roger_, but by the time I had gotten there, it was clear the place was empty. So my second thought was to search the whole town and hope to stumble upon her, but that did not have the desired effect. No one I asked seemed to know of a pirate garbed woman, and my son was getting tired of all the walking. Sometimes I forget how big this small town is. Talk about your oxymorons. Of course the most logical answer came to me one hour into my search. If I was three hundred years old, and dead for the majority of that time, I would be hungry. So that is when I set off to Granny's, mostly because it's one of the only eating establishments in Storybrooke, or at least the easiest to find for a new comer like Milah. Besides if she wasn't there, then at least I could get Jimmy and I something to eat, and drop him off with Ruby while I continue my search for the pirate. Sadly I did not see anyone in the diner who fit Killian's description. The one thing I can do to help my daughter and son-in-law and I can't even find the darn woman! Normally I am a happy easy person to get along with, I mean I'm Snow White, but with everything going on and my inability to complete this simple task I felt a bit testy. Ok, more like pissed, I am a person after all. That is why as soon as I left the diner and someone walked _right_ into me, instead of being polite and understanding, I flipped.

"Why don't you watch where the Hell you are going?!" Very uncharacteristic of me. The person, woman, backed away from me, and gave me a wary but sarcastic look.

"My apologies your majesty." She snorted and turned to walk away. As I looked at her back I noticed she had long brown hair and was dressed like a _pirate._ Oh my god I hate myself.

"Wait!" I called after her. Out of all the people to run into in a bad mood, it has to be the one person I'm looking for to befriend. Typical Charming luck. "Wait a minute. Milah!"

At this she turns back to look at me and raises one eyebrow. I wonder if it is a coincidence both she and Killian does that, or if one of them taught the other.

"Do I know you?" She asks with skepticism.

"No, no we've never met, but I have been looking all over for you for hours." Well one hour to be exact but she doesn't need to know that.

"That is some bizarre greeting. A custom of this world?"

"Ha," I laugh breathlessly, "No, I was just flustered is all, I'm sorry. My name is Snow White, but you can just call me Snow." I hold out my hand for her to shake it. She just looks at it and I drop it after a minute. Killian and Emma were right, she is out of it.

"How is it that you know me?"

"I'm a…friend of Killian's. I thought I would help the _situation_ by showing you around town, maybe getting you some less _conspicuous_ clothing. That sort of thing." Best not to let her know it was Killian's idea, no reason to give her hope that he cares for her. Well I'm sure he cares for her, but not in the way she wants him to.

"And why would I want to get used to this place?" She asks me with a bored look. Nothing like my Emma, I don't know how Killian was with her, unless being dead has really affected her personality. Which I'm sure it has. I need to be more understanding.

I answer her with my calmest, sweetest voice, "Well this can be your home now. We can't go back to the Enchanted Forest, and at least here, you wouldn't have to hide your past. Also, Bae is here, and his children. They are wonderful boys."

"Yes, like Henry."

I am taken aback by this. She knows Henry. "You know Henry?"

She smiles. "We have had the pleasure of making each other's acquaintances. I hear that he is not my son's wife's child." Her face scrunches up with the confusion of the family tree when she says this.

The way she is looking at me, calculating to get information, makes me nervous. "Why don't we talk more while we get you some new clothes? What do you say?"

She looks at me for another minute contemplating the situation. I am fidgeting, I never thought she would say no so I'm not sure what I would do, but thankfully she shrugs her shoulders and starts to walk. I suppose she realized she had nothing else to do. We walk towards the closest clothing store in silence. When we enter I walk her over to a clothes rack, and try to think of the easiest way to explain to her modern fashion.

"So, I would say the biggest thing you need to know about is jeans. We wear blue jeans in this world more than anything else. Basically they are just breeches. They come in all different colors, but blue is classic. Normally one wears a blouse with it, or a tee-shirt, like this," I say and hold up a green v-neck. "You can mix and match however you like, some people would say certain colors don't go together, so if you feel like a shirt doesn't go with your pants, just put on a pair of black jeans. Black goes with anything. And you can fancy it up by putting on vests, belts, jackets. If you want, woman in this world still wear dresses, but they are typically shorter and more flowy. Not as many layers like we used to wear. Oh, also people in this world wear underwear underneath their pants, and bras underneath their shirts." I walk over to a shelf next to us and pick up a packet of both to show her. She takes them from me and puts them in the basket she grabbed from the front of the store. By this point I am feeling very nervous and very stupid. "So any questions?"

"How is it that you and Killian are 'friends'?" Talk about your one track mind.

"Um, we met in the Enchanted Forest. He helped me get back to my family here. I haven't been able to get rid of him since." I smile at my invasion. I pick up a couple of pairs of jeans and shirts that look about her size. "Why don't you try these on and see how they fit, after we get a reference you can look around the store yourself."

She looks at me like I'm crazy. "You want me to change right here?"

I realize we are in the middle of the store and I gasp at her conclusion. "Oh! Of course not. There is a changing room at the back of that wall. I'll show you." My cheeks are red as I lead her over to the room. She laughs at my discomfort. "Do you need any help?"

"I think I can figure it out, thanks." She smiles at me. Maybe I'm getting through to her! That would be lovely, I know it must be hard to have no friends in a strange land. It makes me feel bad about lying to her, not telling her that Killian is not only my friend but my son-in-law. My hopes of reaching out to this woman are dashed however when she comes out five minutes later wearing the new clothes and a scowl.

"Is something wrong?"

"Why is there an KJ+ES carved into that room with a heart around it?"

Shit. "Those are initials. They stand for…Kim Jackson, and Edward…" No mind, don't go blank on me now!

"Edward…?"

"Scissorhands." Idiot.

"Scissorhands?"

Well I can't back out of the lie now. "Yeah, it popular in this world to have your last name represent your job. Like Miller, or Porter. Scissorhands is someone who cuts hair." Leave it to past Killian to make me look like an idiot. I remember the day he carved those initial into the dressing room with his hook. We had just gotten back from Neverland, and Emma had finally taken him shopping. I came back to our apartment after work to find my daughter straddling Killian on the bed, new clothes on the floor, and her tongue down his throat. It was all very horrific to say the least.

_What in the world are you two doing?!_

_I took Hook shopping for new clothes._

_And you decided they would look best on the floor?_

_The lass and I had to make sure they weren't too complicated to remove in the bedroom, because it was quite difficult in the changing room. I suppose they weren't made for two people._

Safe to say Charming and I were looking in the ads for a new place that day.

" I think to myself, why would a friend of Killian's lie to me? Because trust me, I know when I am being lied to." Now who do I know who sounds like that?

I hate being caught in a lie. Sure it does not happen often, mostly because I try to avoid this feeling. I look at my hands in shame. "You're right. Those initials stand for Emma and Killian. I just didn't want to hurt your feelings. Believe it or not, I know what it's like to be in a world where the man you love is married to someone else."

At this her eyebrows raise and I can tell she is feeling better about me. "Really? How is that so?"

"When we were cursed to this land, we were separated from everyone we love. My husband had become someone else's husband. Of course I didn't know he was my husband, but I felt it."

"Then you know why I am so desperate to be with Killian." She looks hopeful.

I look at her reluctantly. "I understand, but it's different. Emma and Killian aren't cursed. They chose to be together out of love and they have a family now." She shakes her head at this. Getting through to this woman is going to be difficult. "I think we should look around the store some more, get you a couple of outfits." We shop for another half an hour in painfully awkward silence. Well painful for me, she seems to be lost in thought. I try to make conversation with her, tell her some of the differences between our world and this world, but I'm fairly sure she is not listening. After she gathers an appropriate amount of clothing, we head up to the register.

"So, all of the clothes have these tags on them, displaying the price. The currency here is green slips of paper that show the amount on them. They will add up the prices of the clothes, and you pay with these bills, and there are also coins but they aren't worth as much. We can go over this later if you want." Again she just nods her head at me.

"That would be $58.60, your majesty." The clerk says.

"Majesty?" Milah questions.

I hand the money over to the clerk. "Technically I am a Queen back home, but here I am just a teacher and there is no need for any of these titles." I direct towards the cashier who looks sheepish.

"The Queen? So you are telling me that you are Emma's _mother!_" How does she know that?

"Umm."

"Unbelievable." She snorts and storms out of the store. I rush after her without collecting my change.

"Milah wait, I am just really trying to help."

She spins back on me. "Help your daughter. And really that's fine. I understand why her family would want to protect her, I think it's great and all. But understand this. I help my family too, and Killian is my family. You might say he is in love with your daughter, but you have never seen us together. Just like you knew your husband was with the wrong woman, so do I. So if you really want to help, I suggest you stay out of my way." That is the most passionate I have heard this woman talk today. And with that she walks away.

"What about Bae? Isn't he your family also? We are all connected, if you hurt Emma and Killian you will be hurting any relationship you could have with him and your grandchildren. Is it worth it?" I call after her. She pauses but doesn't turn back. After a moment she keeps on walking. Instead of following her, I head back to the diner to pick up Jimmy so we can go home. That way I can talk to Charming and sort this mess out. I know only too well how dangerous a woman can be who thinks they have lost their love to those around her.


	19. Chapter 19

**Short chapter, but season 2 of once is on netflix now so you cant expect much of me. I hope you enjoy this chapter :)**

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"Who was on the phone?" I ask Killian.

"Your dad, he wanted to let me know that he can't go to the Rusty Anchor tonight." He answers looking confused. Him and my dad go to that stupid dive almost religiously, so it's odd that he would cancel. I can only think it has something to do with this stupid, and starting to get on my nerves, Milah situation.

"Well," I say, snuggling into him as he sits down on the couch next to me, "I'm not too upset about that. It just means I get more Killian time." He smiles down at me.

"Really, lass? There was a time when you couldn't get rid of me fast enough. Even chained me up to make sure I didn't come near you."

"Please," I roll my eyes, "Don't act like I chained you up because I didn't want to spend time with you. I chained you up because you were a lying, maniacal, psychotic killer. It didn't mean I didn't like you."

He throws his head back and laughs loudly. "You're a hoot Swan." I just grunt. "So now that you have me all to yourself, what do you plan to do with me?" He raises a single eyebrow.

At his question I pause to think. Physically, I'm tired because we played with the kids in the backyard all day. Even their little bodies of energy are passed out in their rooms. I'm emotionally drained from the events of the past two days. In all honesty, I just want to fall asleep in his arms and forget about everything, but alas there is always something to do when you are a princess/sheriff and have four kids. There is one thing in particular that I have been putting off, that should get started.

"I suppose we should start planning the town Halloween party." He groans and drops his head into my neck.

"Wrong answer love," he mumbles. It is then that he proceeds to nibble on my neck. Not cool!

"What do you think you are doing?" I ask, squirming away from him. He just tightens his arms around me and starts to place hot, wet kisses up and down my neck and shoulder.

"Giving you the right answer." Every time I bring up planning this event, he ends up distracting me. But not this time. Ignoring the sexiness that is my husband, I stand up and move to sit on the other chair. He smiles, and stands up to follow me, but I shove him back down and sit in the chair across from him.

"No. You stay over there." I put my hands up when he starts to pout. "I swear to god Killian, this is happening whether you like it or not. What's your problem with planning this anyway?" I find his behavior towards this party very puzzling.

He just slumps into the couch and crosses his arms. "I don't like planning parties. It's too much work and pressure. I just like showing up at them." He smirks.

I think things over. Even though he is a full grown man, I feel like I have to approach him like a child. Side effects of spending too much time in Neverland I think. "Wasn't the Halloween party last year awesome?"

He eyes me suspiciously. "Yes."

"And who threw it?"

"Your father."

"Do you really want him to out do you? Are you going to let a prince be scarier than the most famous pirate?" I just look at him as I see the wheels turning in his head. His eyes finally meet mine and he scowls. I've got him.

"Damn it Swan. No. Let's get this thing done." And we spend the rest of the night planning. Actually we spend the rest of the week planning and getting things ready. It's stressful, fun, boring, and blessedly normal. For a whole week and a half there are no magical incidents, and no past lovers bothering us. Sure, we see Milah hanging around town every once in a while. Oddly enough, when that would happen the kids would start jumping on Killian and distract us. After that we wouldn't see her again for a while. It's almost like they know something. If they do, I'm sure Henry is to blame. Personally, she was not on my mind much. According to Snow, Milah was staying rather antisocial. She hadn't been able to reach her to give her more "modern" lessons. Neal told me he saw her only twice. She came over to his house to talk I guess, I'm not sure what about. Neal is a pain when it comes to talking about important stuff. I would be more inclined to help this woman if she showed more of an interest in her family's life. And wasn't drooling over my husband. That's my job. From what Killian had told me about her in the past, she seemed like a care free, warm, outgoing person. I have yet to meet this Milah. I wonder how this spell has altered her. Rumplestiltskin is no help with telling us what affects this spell might have, or if there are any permanent side effects. Or if a black hole will open and swallow us whole. He says he is looking into it, but I suspect, like his son, he would just rather burry the problem and focus on something else. Liking buying his little girl a cute power ranger's costume.

Thinking of Halloween brings me mixed feelings. I love the autumn and I love going to the pumpkin patch with my family to pick out pumpkins. Killian and Henry got into a manly competition on who could carry the bigger pumpkin home. This resulted in to two smashed pumpkins on the way to the house. And of course our remaining pumpkin had to have a pirate skull carved into it (eye roll). While this is all fun, the holiday makes my job at the station that much harder. I have to do more patrols because people are hitting the cider hard and buying mass amounts of shaving cream, eggs, and toilet paper. Add that to the party planning, and my current cramps (stupid doughnuts plus running around), I am all but wiped out.

All I want to do with my life is curl up on my couch, unwrap a not so fun size milkyway, and watch _Freddy vs. Jason_. This is exactly what I am doing at the time Killian comes home. He was working on a haunted house earlier and told me he was going to stop by the Rusty Anchor on his way home. I think he was having crepe withdrawals. He comes into the house quickly, passing me by and making his way to the kitchen. That is odd of him, normally he wouldn't pass up an opportunity to watch stupid movies with me. I uncurl myself from the couch and make my way towards him. Maybe something went wrong at work. The look I see on his face tells me that something much worse than anything that could happen at work has happened. He looks pained and conflicted. Like what is going on in his mind could shatter his heart. It scares me more than any scary movie could. I rush to him and put his face in between my hands. He is trembling.

"Killian what happened?" I whisper. I'm afraid my voice could break him. He stares at me and I can see him coming to a decision.

"I kissed Milah."

I was wrong. What he had to say doesn't shatter his heart. It shatters mine.


	20. Chapter 20

**i will have you guys know, that i have neglected a lot of work for this chapter :) ok since it's been a while i am going to rant, you can skip this and go right to the story, but i must say this. so everyone is freaking out about the new series pictures and this is my thought. abc came to adam and eddie and were like "we need your pictures by tomorrow" and they were like "oh crap, we have been working on making this season so awesome that we forgot all about them, lets just send in whatever pictures we have laying around." and i'm ok with that but i am expecting a great new season, i dont care about pics though. also this both bothered me and made me laugh while watching netflix. so hook gets hit by a car and emma is like "you have broken ribs" and he's like "that must be why it hurts when i laugh". who the hell says that after getting hit by a car?! ok i have gotten really off topic now and if you have continued reading this rant then you are also avoiding work and i'm very grateful for that. i hope you enjoy this chapter.**

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_"He comes to the Rusty Anchor almost every day, don't worry Milah,"_Yeah right. It has been almost two weeks and Killian has not come to this pub once. I wait patiently for hours every night for him to show up, and he never does. It's like someone is keeping him away. Which they probably are. I know every time I see him with his disgustingly sweet and fake family, her children are always clinging to him and drawing his attention away. No doubt Henry's work. At the thought of the boy I frown and rub my hands on the uncomfortable denim material of my pants, courtesy of the Snow Queen. The boy is so much like me, or what I used to be, it makes my heart ache. He is full of life, loves adventure, is witty and clever, and fights dirty. I have bumped heads with him on various occasions these past couple of days. When Snow could no longer attempt to teach my of this new land, Henry took it upon himself to give me a lesson or two. Every night when I come back to the ship exhausted , I find a series of notes explaining the laws of this land and a bag of its interesting cuisine. I now know about _jay walking_, the constitution, Elvis, _The Simpsons,_ gyros, and Taco Bell. Even though I know he is a big part of what stands in my way of Killian, I can't help but admire him and find myself exchanging banter with the lad.

My other _grandchildren_ are another story. Their mother sees me as dangerous to them because I am "a ticking time bomb of Rumplestiltskin's creation." To be honest, if she is distrustful of Rumplestiltskin, than she is a smart woman and I'm glad my son has her. I can't help but think what she says might be true. That I am going to explode. My head is still so full of questions that sometimes I feel like I would do anything for silence again. But when I dream, there is nothing but silence, so empty that it feels like I'm being pulled apart and crushed at the same time. It makes no sense, but nothing does. The son I wanted back for so long, is so close, yet I'm too empty to reach out to him. The man I love more than anything, is married to another woman. It's too much. I think if I focus on one thing at a time, my life can be put back together. I can be put back together. If I get Killian, maybe I wouldn't feel so empty and then I could have Bae too.

It is around four o'clock, and I am waiting in the alley behind the pub as I do every day, when I see two men approaching me. It is odd, I have done this same thing for ten days and no one has ever come up to me. The closer they get though, I can see it is Henry and a man I have seen around Killian and _Emma_.

"Hey, living dead girl!" Henry smiles. One of his many names for me.

"Henry," I nod and look at the man beside him, "Who is this, and what are you doing here?"

The man frowns at me but holds out his hand. "My name is David," I shake his hand, " We're here because we think you should see something." I don't like this.

"Don't worry. Killian is busy today, he's not going to show up here. Plus we think you have been hanging out here long enough." Henry notices my discomfort.

"What is it you want me to see?" I ask, embarrassed that they know I wait here. Henry grabs my arm and starts to pull me out of the alley. I follow him, the man stays behind me. I can feel his glare on me the whole time.

"It's a surprise." He answers my question. "Don't worry, you should be used to surprises by now, you're part of the family. We have surprises like…like… ok I don't have a funny analogy. I thought I would have one, but I'm coming up with a blank. Saying something about politics and sex scandals seems too cheap, and saying something about Miley Cyrus and crazy pills seems too insensitive. I CAN'T ALWAYS BE ON." He screams frustrated. Mental breaks down also run in the family. I have come to find his more amusing than mine. In the time it takes him to lose his mind, we have come to a small blue house. David pulls out a set of keys and opens the door to let us inside. Henry plops onto the couch and motions for me to sit next to him.

"So," Henry turns to me, calmed down, "You are obviously still hung up on my step-dad. This is not cool, mostly because my mom loves him. Now, because I like you, we are not going to gag you and drive you to some unmentionable place and leave you. I have been made aware that doing that would be unethical anyway. So, instead we are going to try to make you understand how impossible it would be to break up my parents. This way you can move on, find yourself somebody new, and be the cool grandma who doesn't judge me for trying to ride my bike off a dock." This child says too many words. Just as I am processing everything he has said, David turns on a box that has moving pictures. _Television_. Henry has told me it shows images of past events, some true and some fictional. On the box, I see Killian all in black and Emma in a white dress.

_Now it is time for the vows. Emma and Killian have prepared their own. Emma would you like to start?_

_Killian, I love you. To many people, just saying that wouldn't seem like a lot, but to me it means so much. It means so much, because for so long I had no one to say those words to. I was always alone, and most of the time that was because I pushed people away. But you wouldn't allow me to do that to you. You stayed by me through everything, even if only to annoy me at times. And I'm so happy you stayed. I love everything about you, your smile, your cockiness, the way you always manage to smell like salt water, and your ability to make the most mundane seem magical. Every day with you is an adventure, and I can't wait to spend the rest of my days with you, saying I love you._ She looks so happy, and there are tears in Killian's eyes as he starts his speech.

_Emma, you truly are a savior. When I think of where I was only two years ago, filled with hatred and no will to live other than to get revenge, and I look at the life you have given me, I can truly say you saved me. But that's not why I'm marrying you. I'm marrying you because you are the most challenging, hot headed, beautiful, caring woman, which in my eyes makes you the best, and the pirate in me must make you mine. Not only do I want you to be mine, I want to be yours, and your crazy family's, forever. You should have known that when I said I was done with you, that was a lie._

The rest of the moving picture shows them exchanging rings, smiling, crying, and kissing. I was wrong when I thought I was empty before, this is a whole new type of void. I have just watched the man I love, the man I am so desperately trying to get back, pledge himself to another woman. I knew it happened, of course, but seeing his face is like having my heart ripped out again.

"Milah, we just want you to understand that he's moved on. But he's happy and you can be too." Henry tries to comfort me as I stand up. I don't want to be here anymore. Not just this house, but this world, this existence. I leave the house, to Henry's protest, and wander back the way I came. I can't think of anywhere else to go. He really loves her. Her, not me. Her children are his children. He wasn't tricked into marrying her, he wanted it. He wanted to get over me. Because I was dead. I am dead. He still doesn't want me. He will never want me. No one should. I'm broken. I think I always was, even when I was alive.

I find myself back at the Rusty Anchor and I decide, since I'm already unbearably depressed why not drink? So that is exactly what I am doing when I look up from my fourth shot and see a mop of black hair come through the doors. Killian. Of course this would be the day he decides to finally show up. He is so beautiful that I can't take my eyes off him, he must feel them on him because he looks my way. His eyes get big and he makes his way towards me.

"Milah? What are you doing here?"

"Drinking in a bar. Not that unusual, it is how you first found me." I can see his eyes go distant, remembering.

"Aye, but I remember back then you could hold your alcohol better. Come on, let me take you back to the ship." He reaches for my arm, but I pull it back.

"Leave me alone Killian. Scamper off to your wife and children. You don't have to pretend to care for me anymore." I stumble off my bar stool, and head out the back way, leaving him surprised. He is right, though. I used to be able to drink more. Either the drinks here are stronger, or lying at the bottom of an ocean for hundreds of years has affected my metabolism. I don't even take two steps when I hear the door open and close behind me.

"Milah, I never pretended to care for you! I always did and always will."

"But not the same way you care for Emma." It is a fact, not a question. That was made very clear this afternoon. I hear him shuffle his feet behind me, so I turn to look at him. He looks so sad.

"No, not the same way."

"She's your savior." He looks confused by my choice of words.

"I suppose you could say that. She did save me. I was crazy when you left me, I still would be if not for her."

"I didn't leave you, I was taken. Taken by a man you now seem to be friends with." I have seen Killian take his children over to Rumplestiltskin's house. It sickens me.

He runs his hands through his hair, "It's complicated." He lets out a huff. Oh he's upset?

I take a step closer towards him. "I never wanted to leave you. _I love you_." I don't care that he's moved on and so should I. I don't care that he has a family here. I have loved this man since the first time I laid eyes on him, and that's all I think as I lean into him and capture his mouth with mine. He stills for a moment, and then puts his hands around my face, and it is pure bliss. The kiss is soft and sweet, nothing at all like our first which was also behind a pub, but that is ok because it's still Killian. He pulls away from me slowly and looks into my eyes.

"We can start over in this new land, just me and you. It can be a beginning." I look at him with hope, but he just shakes his head and detaches from me completely.

"No Milah. That kiss wasn't a beginning, it was an end. That was the kiss I should have given you when you last told me you loved me, but I was too stupid back then. I didn't truly believe death could ever touch us. But that Killian is gone, the one you love. I have been saving that kiss for him for years and now he can finally rest. Good bye Milah." That can't be it. But by the way he turns and leaves makes it clear that it is over for him. I will never have Killian the way he was, the way he was before he met Emma. I see now that he will never leave her.

I slump down to the ground in defeat. I'm cold, empty, alone, and a bit drunk. I tilt my head up to the sky and let out an awful wail. I cannot accept this. I will not stay broken. I said I was going to fix things and I plan to do just that. Killian says the man he was is gone, the man before Emma. If that is the case, maybe I need to get rid of this new Killian and bring the old one back. The one who never knew the name Emma.


	21. Chapter 21

**Ok, sorry for the delay, i would like to say it wont happen again, but that would be a lie because university is evil. especially organic chemistry. any way, if you still read this story, thank you! i hope you enjoy this chapter and the once episode that comes on in an hour! :) unless you reside somewhere that is not the east/central part of america, if that is the case im sorry that you have to wait for ouat goodness and the only solution is to drop everything in your lives and move. NOW!**

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"I kissed Milah." Shit my life. The look on Emma's face as I say those words kills me inside. I rush to make things better. "Ok, that came out wrong. It's not what it seems, love." Wrong choice of words. As soon as I say "love" her eyes darken and the Emma I know and love is gone, replaced by this terrifying demon woman in front of me.

"Love!" she growls and slaps me so hard I land on my ass. I try to scramble to my feet but a thrown glass knocks me down again. She towers over me and I see fear and hate in her eyes. "You want to call me love and go around kissing that BITCH! Everything we have and worked for, did you only do that because you thought you had no other options, was I just a distraction because your true love was dead." I can see her anger cracking, turning into despair and I want to tell her how wrong she is, but her rant doesn't pause. " And now that she's back, you just run to her and drop everything. Did you ever love me?! Has everything you ever said been just lies?!"

I get up off the floor and put my hands on her shoulders. She struggles to get away, but I just hold her tighter and look at her until she looks back. "Emma would you just listen to me?" I say exasperated.

"Why?" she spits, "So you can tell me you're leaving me for that home wrecking whore?"

I roll my eyes and say slowly and simply so she listens. "I am not leaving you, you crazy woman. I am never leaving you, or our family. I love you. You are my one and only love. Nobody else."

"So you just go around kissing other woman just for the hell of it?" Of course it can't be that simple, when Emma is hurt she is denser than lead.

I drop her shoulders and run my hand through my hair. "You are the only woman I ever want to kiss. Milah…ugh. I didn't want to kiss her, I had to." She rolls her eyes and opens her mouth, but I cut her off. "I had to, to finally say goodbye. You know the circumstances of our departure, and how I never felt like I properly let her go. By some miracle, I got a second chance and now I can be completely done." She leans back against the counter and stares at me for a couple of minutes while she process what I said. I want to go over to her and put my arms around her, but I'm not certain she still doesn't want to kill me, and in a room full of knives I'm not about to take any chances.

"If that's true," she finally responds, "Why even tell me? Why the added drama?"

"We swore to tell each other everything. Besides I didn't want you hearing it from someone else and think I was betraying you."

"Did someone else see this little 'goodbye'?" She snorts.

"You never know what's possible in this town." She taps her foot in irritation for a minute, then makes for the front door. "Where are you going lass?" I trail behind her.

"I am going to the ship to wrap my hand around her neck and squeeze until she stops breathing. And then I'm going to shoot her a couple of times to make sure she stays dead." Oh scary demon woman, please give me my wife back.

"That's insane darling."

"Yeah well…" she turns on me. "This whole situation is insane! My husband's ex is back from the dead to fuck up everything! She is like a disease, she ruins everything. I want her out of this town, this existence, and our lives! I just want things to be the way they were two weeks ago." I finally decide now is the time to hold her and when I do, she breaks down and cries.

I stroke her hair and murmur, "Everything is ok, love. Nothing is ruined. We are together, our family is fine, and everyone is safe."

"I hate her." She mumbles into my chest. I chuckle.

"That's ok, I sometimes hate Neal."

She pushes away from me. "It's not the same. You think Milah is going to find someone and settle down? Do you think she is going to take that kiss as a goodbye and not an invitation to screw with us?"

"I told her my intentions." She rolls her eyes again and heads up the stairs instead of leaving for the door. "Where are you going now?"

"I swear Killian, sometimes you're too damn stupid." What? What now? I slump onto the couch, giving her a minute for herself, and myself to think. At least it seems she's over wanting to kill me, and Milah. And she seems to accept the fact that I'm not leaving. A lot of things are still a mess, but at least some things seem to be getting better. We just need time, and to be honest this is not the worst thing to happen to us. She was a whole hell of a lot angrier when we first got together and I was just figuring out dvds. When her parents came over to watch a movie, I accidently put in the sex video we had made. She kicked me out for a week because of that. At least that's not happening now. Unless she's packing up my stuff upstairs now. With that thought I jump off the couch and dash up the steps, tripping once and coming to our door. I open it, and thank god, she is just sitting on the bed going through her jewelry. I slow my beating heart and go to join her.

"What are you doing lass?" I ask quietly.

She keeps looking at some necklaces, and then turns to look at me. Her eyes look too sad for my liking.

"You gave me most of this stuff, didn't you?"

" Aye, I did."

"Why?" I lie down on the bed and look up at her.

"Because you are a beautiful woman who deserves beautiful things. And I love you."

"You do? And you won't leave me?"

I smile up at her. "Never."

She finally gives me a little smile, but it is gone too fast. "She's not going to let you go. She would be crazy to." She runs her hand through my hair and I wince when she touches where the glass hit me. She shrugs sheepishly as an apology.

I take her hand in mine. "No, she would be crazy not to see how I will never let _you _go."

"I just wish we would know for sure that she's not going to try anything." She picks up another necklaces and starts swinging it around without taking her eyes off me.

"The only thing we can ever know for sure, is that we will always be together. Nothing will ever change that." She smiles and in that instant she is Emma again, strong and full of love and I truly believe everything will work out. And then my eyes slip down to the necklace and my heart stops.

"Oh, I better clean up the mess in the kitchen before the kids get home. You think you could do some raking outside while I get dinner ready?" She jumps off the bed and heads down stairs to get started, but I am rooted to the spot. I pick up the necklace she dropped as she left. It's her grandmother's, the one that swings from side to side to tell the sex of your child. Because of Emma's magic, it always turned red when she was pregnant. And a minute ago it looked like a ruby.


End file.
